A police report was lodged by a group of farmers and estate workers today against the police and a developer for abuse of power and conspiring to evict them from a plot of land in Klang.

The police report was lodged this morning by the Cattle Farmers Action Committee of Bukit Tinggi plantation which alleged that both parties ignored proper procedures and took action before investigations were done.

"Labur Bina, the developer for the proposed Bukit Tinggi township, has trespassed into the cattle farm and destroyed the fencing with the help of police and hired thugs.

"They also failed to obtain a court injunction to force the farmers and the ex-estate workers of Bukit Tinggi plantations off the land," the report stated.

Yesterday, 17 people were detained by the police at the Klang district police headquarters for possible criminal intimidation and criminal trespass. All have since been released on police bail and are required to report back on Jan 17.

During the incident, two women were brought to the Klang general hospital after an excavator allegedly hit them. They have since sought out-patient treatment.

The farmers, who are former workers of an oil palm plantation in that area, said that they have lived on the land, which originally belonged to a plantation company, for 70 years.

Impartiality

The police report also alleged that the police were instructed to detain the 17 without prior investigation being done.

When contacted Klang police chief Karn Kam Peng declined to comment on the police report as he had not seen it yet. However, he said that the police would act on the report.

"We are impartial in carrying out our duties," Karn said.

Meanwhile Labur Bina's senior manager Lai Yeng Fock told malaysiakini that there was no grounds to the allegations made in the police report.

"The land was legally bought over from Guthrie Plantation and Agricultural Services in 1999 and the Bukit Tinggi township project began in 2000.

"The farmers and the ex-estate workers were offered a compensation of RM200,000 for all the 11 families there. We also offered them low-cost housing in the township with a 10 per cent discount on houses worth RM42,000 but they refused the offer," Lai said.

Legitimate business

Lai also refuted the allegations that thugs were hired and that the police was working in consonance with the developer.

"We are a legitimate business, how can we hire these people? We asked for police assistance as there were criminal action being carried out such as trespassing and obstruction," Lai added.

He also explained that none of the cattle farms was destroyed and that construction was carried out to conduct drainage work in the area. Lai added that the two women were not wilfully harmed.

When asked if the developer would be offering an alternative for the farmers and workers besides compensation and housing, he said it would be impossible.

"It is beyond our ability to arrange for land for them. How can we? I think they are just taking the opportunity to extort us and it's just not fair of them," Lai said.

The farmers have expressed concerns about their future livelihood now that their cattle farms are being converted into a township.