In an attempt to save their homes, the residents take their grouses directly to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's office in Putrajaya.
VIDEO INSIDE
PUTRAJAYA: About 50 residents from the former Bukit Jalil estate gathered at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) this morning amidst a heavy downpour.
The residents, led by their committee treasurer K Balakrishnan, arrived at about 11am and camped at a nearby resting spot to avoid the rain.
Present by their side were Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general and treasurer S Arutchelvan and A Sivarajan.
Also present were Oppressed People’s Network (Jerit) propaganda coordinator S Mathavi and Warga Aman secretary-general S Bharatidasan.
The 41 families are embroiled in a tussle with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) after the latter tried to evict them from their homes.
The land is slated to be turned into a Muslim burial ground. Subsequently, the residents took their case to the High Court and the Court of Appeal but lost their legal battle.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, on the other hand, instructed the Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Ministry to find an amicable solution but nothing has come forth to date.
At about 12.30pm, an officer from the Federal Territories Ministry, only known as Amir, arrived and invited some of the estate residents for a meeting at the PMO.
Land request rejected
At 1pm, five of the residents including Arutchelvan and Balakrishnan went into the PMO after being promised a meeting with the prime minister’s officers.
However, Arutchelvan and the residents came out from the meeting about 30 minutes later, saying that they were disappointed.
“We went in after being promised that the prime minister’s officers will be there.
“Instead, we only had two officers from the FT ministry talking to us,” said an upset Arutchelvan.
The officers were the ministry’s deputy secretary Kasim Hamzah and another officer named Adi Roslan.
They told the former estate workers that the ministry had decided not to grant them the 4-acres land request.
Arutchelvan said the residents would continue to be there until Najib or his officers conduct a proper meeting with them.
“If Najib sticks to the FT ministry’s decision as well, give it to us in writing,” he said.
‘Give us the Buah Pala deal’
Echoing Arutchelvan’s sentiments, Balakrishnan also said he was upset over the matter, saying the residents had already informed the PMO of their arrival last week.
“If Najib can help residents from Kampung Buah Pala, why not us who are closer to home (Kuala Lumpur)?” he asked, referring to Najib offering double-storey houses to several residents of the former Indian settlement in Penang, in April.
Although one police officer tried stopping the residents from distributing leaflets in the afternoon, the policeman later backed down. Other officers kept a close watch on the residents and helped to clear the traffic.
There were also several children holding roses in the group, waiting to hand them over to Najib if he visits them.
The residents, numbering about 50, will camp outside the PM’s office overnight.
VIDEO INSIDE
PUTRAJAYA: About 50 residents from the former Bukit Jalil estate gathered at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) this morning amidst a heavy downpour.The residents, led by their committee treasurer K Balakrishnan, arrived at about 11am and camped at a nearby resting spot to avoid the rain.
Present by their side were Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general and treasurer S Arutchelvan and A Sivarajan.
Also present were Oppressed People’s Network (Jerit) propaganda coordinator S Mathavi and Warga Aman secretary-general S Bharatidasan.
The 41 families are embroiled in a tussle with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) after the latter tried to evict them from their homes.
The land is slated to be turned into a Muslim burial ground. Subsequently, the residents took their case to the High Court and the Court of Appeal but lost their legal battle.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, on the other hand, instructed the Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Ministry to find an amicable solution but nothing has come forth to date.
At about 12.30pm, an officer from the Federal Territories Ministry, only known as Amir, arrived and invited some of the estate residents for a meeting at the PMO.
Land request rejected
At 1pm, five of the residents including Arutchelvan and Balakrishnan went into the PMO after being promised a meeting with the prime minister’s officers.
However, Arutchelvan and the residents came out from the meeting about 30 minutes later, saying that they were disappointed.
“We went in after being promised that the prime minister’s officers will be there.
“Instead, we only had two officers from the FT ministry talking to us,” said an upset Arutchelvan.
The officers were the ministry’s deputy secretary Kasim Hamzah and another officer named Adi Roslan.
They told the former estate workers that the ministry had decided not to grant them the 4-acres land request.
Arutchelvan said the residents would continue to be there until Najib or his officers conduct a proper meeting with them.
“If Najib sticks to the FT ministry’s decision as well, give it to us in writing,” he said.
‘Give us the Buah Pala deal’
Echoing Arutchelvan’s sentiments, Balakrishnan also said he was upset over the matter, saying the residents had already informed the PMO of their arrival last week.
“If Najib can help residents from Kampung Buah Pala, why not us who are closer to home (Kuala Lumpur)?” he asked, referring to Najib offering double-storey houses to several residents of the former Indian settlement in Penang, in April.
Although one police officer tried stopping the residents from distributing leaflets in the afternoon, the policeman later backed down. Other officers kept a close watch on the residents and helped to clear the traffic.
There were also several children holding roses in the group, waiting to hand them over to Najib if he visits them.
The residents, numbering about 50, will camp outside the PM’s office overnight.
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