Some 50 settlers from Sungai Buloh have tried for the third time - and failed again - to draw the attention of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to their housing woes.

They have been waiting 15 years to be allocated land as the Selangor government had promised, in return for moving out of their houses that were in the way of the railway double-tracking project.

Accompanied by members of the Selangor and Federal Territory Community Association (Permas), they protested outside the PM's Department in Putrajaya this morning.

Their representatives also tried to submit a memorandum stating that they are proceeding with their legal suit against the Selangor government.

However, for the third time since 2005, they were turned away by officers and told that they could not see the PM as he was not in his office.

"This is not the first time this has happened. Every time we come, we're sent away because he is not around," said Permas acting president S Muniandy.

"We came to the PM because we are tired of negotiating with land office officials and the Selangor Menteri Besar, but now we can't even meet him. What are we to do?" he asked.

Muniandy said the situation has spanned the tenure of three MBs of Selamgor without being resolved.

The settlers' plight started in 1992 when the Selangor government promised each of the 299 families at the Sungai Buloh 'Railway Lines' a plot of land at Matang Pagar, Rawang.

It also promised to clear the land and provide amenities like water and electricity supply, public telephones and a proper drainage system before handing over the lots. This was to have taken six months.

In the interim, 100 families were moved to a longhouse in Rawang, while the others rented houses in nearby areas.

As years passed without the promise being kept, many of those in the longhouse have moved out into houses that they bought.

'Agreement not kept'

In 2005, when the remaining 48 families met the MB, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, they were told that they would not be given land but would instead have to buy low-cost houses at RM28,000 per unit.

Dissatisfied, they filed a law suit at the Shah Alam High Court. But before the case could be heard on Jan 16 and 17 this year, state officials offered an out-of-court settlement in writing.

The settlers were told that they would be given land, but would have to clear it themselves.

"This contradicts their earlier agreement and we will not tolerate this. We don't want houses, we just want the piece of land they were supposed to give us," said K Pachiappan, who still lives in the longhouse.

"The longhouse has no basic facilities. We don't even have access to the public transportation system."

M Meenatchi, who has been renting a house, said the settlers have tolerated everything for 15 years because "we were hoping to get the land they promised us".

"They cannot make us wait and pay rent before (initially) telling us to buy the house they are offering," she said.

The settlers have also submitted a memorandum to the Selangor Development Corporation stating their problems and the decision to go ahead with the law suit. It will now be heard at the Shah Alam High Court on April 18.

Watch the two-minute video here.