At
11.30am Arutchelvan was arguing with the police who were cordoning off
an area for demolition, when he and another PSM activist with him,
Ghandi, were handcuffed and taken away in a police vehicle.About 50 bystanders in the predominantly Chinese new village shouted various vulgarities at the police as the arrest took place.
At around noon, the six DAP representatives were also arrested for occupying the SRJKC Chi Chi alumni clubhouse that was about to be torn down.
After a three minute warning the police entered the building and arrested Loke, along with Rasah MP Teo Kok Seong, Nilai rep J Arulkumar, Senawang rep P Gunasekaran, Bahau rep Chew Seh Yong and Temiang rep Ng Chin Tsai and several others.
Demolition of the building began shortly after. On Sept 30 Arutchelvan and 11 others were arrested when they first attempted to halt the demolition of the historic century-old village, after which an attempt was made to obtain a judicial review.
The eviction and demolition is to make way for the first phase of a mixed-development project by the developer, Mega 9 Housing Sdn Bhd.
Arrests continue
In a third wave of arrests, Suaram executive director E Nalini (below, in black), Kampung Hakka village head Chong Tza Yew, and at least six other activists and villagers were detained at another building earmarked for demolition.
The
group were occupying the building's entrance when police broke up the
group at about 1pm, and then cut the locks to reach the residents.The residents exited the house then left in a car while workers emptied the building of furniture and appliances.
“I am proud and respect DAP and PSM for stepping forward and speaking up for us to the police. They were willing to come to my front door to show support but ended up getting arrested,” said Reena Sir Muhammad when met later. She lives at the house where Nalini was arrested.
Also living in the same house is Sidek Muhammad Medan Khan, who claims to have been born in 1951 in the village but is stateless. He also suffers from impaired mobility due to a congenital disease and relies on a walking stick to move about.
“After all this is settled, only then can we help him get his citizenship,” said his nephew Mohd Amin Sir Muhammad before the demolition.
“We
are not free. There are disturbances here and there and he is afraid of
leaving his house. Why? He is afraid of his house would get demolished.
Where would he live?” There was no confrontation when authorities reached the third and last occupied building that is slated for demolition at 2.10pm.
The building was occupied by the family of Amarjit Kaur, 49, who says the house was built by her grandfather.
“I am too upset and very disappointed. At least they should give us some time and let us celebrate Deepavali (on Saturday). This is our last Deepavali here,” she said when met this morning.
In their latest report, PSM said up to 19 have been detained in total, including several villagers.
22 houses slated for demolition
According
to a lawyer representing the developer, who only identified himself as
Sharif, a total of 22 buildings are slated for demolition today, of
which three were occupied. As of 3.30pm, a group of activists and locals have gathered to protest against the demolition and the arrests outside the Nilai police district headquarters, where the detainees are held.
When met by reporters before the demolition started, Loke, who is also the opposition leader in the Negri Sembilan state assembly, said Order 89 from the Seremban High Court in effect declared the villagers squatters and gives the developer legal standing to demolish the houses.
He
said the village land, some of which previously had temporary occupancy
licenses issued to residents, was alienated to private developers in
the 1990s and then changed hands several times without the residents’
knowledge. He said while the state has power to alienate land, it should have been given to the residents who had been occupying the area for generations, instead of private developers.
“That is the sad part. Whenever there is development in an area where the original residents do not have land titles, you will end up like this.
“Of
course there are other cases where a settlement was achieved through
compensations and so on, but it is not always the case, as is happening
today. When negotiations break down, they face eviction by force,” he
said. Loke added that he had proposed at the state legislative assembly that the state government leverage on its influence, such as its prerogative to approve or reject development projects, to force the developer to the negotiating table with residents until an amicable solution is reached.
He said the strategy had worked in getting new houses for 90 percent of residents in Kampung Buah Pala in Penang, but was not taken up here.
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