We'll lodge a police report - that's all the Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Khir Toyo had to say to a group of ex-plantation workers which he had invited for a meeting on Thursday.

The 19 ex-plantation workers from the former Galloway and Medingly plantations were suppose to be given rights to low-cost housing in 1996 after the estates were taken over for the development of the new administrative capital Putrajaya.

They have been forced to rent or put up in relatives' houses while lobbying the related authorities over the matter for the past 10 years, culminating in their first major breakthrough on Wednesday, when they received the invitation from Khir's office.

While initially brimming with hope that the dispute would finally be resolved, looks of disappointment hung on the group's faces, apparently over Khir's nonchalant attitude during the meet.

Reports already lodged

The ex-workers, mostly in their golden years, were irked when Khir said that the matter would be settled by police investigations even before they had a chance to tell him of their problems.

"All he told us was that if police investigations show that you deserve houses, then you will get [...] but we have numerous reports already with the police and the Anti-Corruption Agency," said S Periaswari of the Community Development Center, the group's advisor.

In an interview with TV3 aired on Thursday after the meeting the group, Khir reiterated that a police report would be lodged over the matter.

The 19 were among more than 300 workers who used to serve four plantations in the area. While most of them moved into their new RM18,000 homes in Taman Pertama, Dengkil without a hitch, the group were somehow left out.

Periaswari said that the group were rightfully entitled to the houses as they had received ex-gratia payment just like the other workers.

But for now, Periaswari said that the group would be pinning their hopes of Khir's police report before taking further action.