Five held for farming on disputed land
The farmers of Bukit Tinggi plantation in Klang were dealt another blow today when five of them were arrested - three for the second time - while tending to their flock in a disputed four-hectare plot of land.
According to housing rights activist V Selvam, the five were taken away by the police at 11am this morning.
"They were milking their cows when the developer encroached on the land again. There were at least six excavators and 20 to 30 'gangsters'," Selvam said.
He claimed that one of the building contractors had tried to hit the farmers with a spade when they protested against the encroachment.
Three of those detained were previously held early this month but later released on police bail.
In the Jan 3 incident, 17 men and women were hauled off to the Klang police district headquarters when they defended their farms against developer Labur Bina, which is building a new township in the area.
The project to develop the former oil palm plantation into a township began last year. However, negotiations between Labur Bina and the farmers failed to reach a conclusion.
The farm was originally owned by Guthrie Plantations and was sold to Gemilang Waras, which has hired the help of Labur Bina to develop the land.
The farmers, however, claimed that developer did not have the right to evict them from the land where they have stayed for more than 70 years. The farmers were originally plantation workers for Guthrie.
No gangters hired
Labur Bina has denied that it used extrajudicial tactics against the farmers or through use of gangsters.
When contacted, Klang police chief Karn Kam Peng confirmed that the farmers had been detained.
"They were detained for possible criminal trespass and also for rioting. They smashed a vehicle with a parang," Karn told malaysiakini .
He also said that the developer had lodged a police report against the farmers earlier this morning.
Meanwhile, legal counsel for the five, Teng Chang Khim, said the farmers were being held by the police to assist in their investigations.
According to him, the police applied for a 10-day remand period for the detained farmers at the Klang magistrates court this afternoon.
"I objected, stating that they (the police) were acting in bad faith," he told malaysiakini .
"The five can only be remanded for 24 hours first before remand can be applied for. The police cannot apply for remand before they have exhausted all means," said Teng, who is also DAP youth chief.
He said that the court accepted his objection and the detained farmers were brought back to the police lock-up in Klang.
However, the five could be brought to the court again tomorrow when the 24-hour detention period expires.
Call for explanation
On a separate matter, Women's Development Collective (WDC) executive director Maria Chin Abdullah called on the authorities to explain the arrest of five land rights activists in Ipoh yesterday.
"WDC condemns the indiscriminate violation of citizens' rights to their land in the name of development," she said in a press release today.
"There must be consultation and transparency in the actions of the authorities and corporate sector," said Maria.
According to housing rights activist V Selvam, the five were taken away by the police at 11am this morning.
"They were milking their cows when the developer encroached on the land again. There were at least six excavators and 20 to 30 'gangsters'," Selvam said.
He claimed that one of the building contractors had tried to hit the farmers with a spade when they protested against the encroachment.
Three of those detained were previously held early this month but later released on police bail.
In the Jan 3 incident, 17 men and women were hauled off to the Klang police district headquarters when they defended their farms against developer Labur Bina, which is building a new township in the area.
The project to develop the former oil palm plantation into a township began last year. However, negotiations between Labur Bina and the farmers failed to reach a conclusion.
The farm was originally owned by Guthrie Plantations and was sold to Gemilang Waras, which has hired the help of Labur Bina to develop the land.
The farmers, however, claimed that developer did not have the right to evict them from the land where they have stayed for more than 70 years. The farmers were originally plantation workers for Guthrie.
No gangters hired
Labur Bina has denied that it used extrajudicial tactics against the farmers or through use of gangsters.
When contacted, Klang police chief Karn Kam Peng confirmed that the farmers had been detained.
"They were detained for possible criminal trespass and also for rioting. They smashed a vehicle with a parang," Karn told malaysiakini.
He also said that the developer had lodged a police report against the farmers earlier this morning.
Meanwhile, legal counsel for the five, Teng Chang Khim, said the farmers were being held by the police to assist in their investigations.
According to him, the police applied for a 10-day remand period for the detained farmers at the Klang magistrates court this afternoon.
"I objected, stating that they (the police) were acting in bad faith," he told malaysiakini.
"The five can only be remanded for 24 hours first before remand can be applied for. The police cannot apply for remand before they have exhausted all means," said Teng, who is also DAP youth chief.
He said that the court accepted his objection and the detained farmers were brought back to the police lock-up in Klang.
However, the five could be brought to the court again tomorrow when the 24-hour detention period expires.
Call for explanation
On a separate matter, Women's Development Collective (WDC) executive director Maria Chin Abdullah called on the authorities to explain the arrest of five land rights activists in Ipoh yesterday.
"WDC condemns the indiscriminate violation of citizens' rights to their land in the name of development," she said in a press release today.
"There must be consultation and transparency in the actions of the authorities and corporate sector," said Maria.
The five activists were arrested and another two injured when authorities attempted to evict a squatter community from a piece of land which they have occupied for over 50 years at an estate near Ipoh.
R Mohanarani, an activist with Alaigal an NGO for estate and urban pioneer communities said the five were arrested while trying to stop the eviction by the Perak state economic development corporation at the Stratshila Estate in Jelapang.
