About 500 families living on five plantations in the Nibong Tebal parliamentary district in Penang are disappointed with the Penang government for allegedly failing to look after their interests.

Their representative, M Sivakumar, has accused the state government under the leadership of chief minister (CM) Lim Guan Eng of failing to fulfill vows made before the last general election.

"We are very disappointed with the attitude of the Pakatan Rakyat government, which seems not to appreciate the decision of residents here to vote for the opposition candidate for the area," Sivakumar told a press conference in Nibong Tebal today.

Other representatives of the residents attended the conference with Sivakumar.

The residents were formerly workers of the Ladang Victoria, Transkrian, Sungai Kecil, Simpah, Krian, Jawi, Changkat, Byram and Kaledonia plantations, which faced problems due to inadequate living and other basic amenities.

Sivakumar, 37, said their efforts to meet with the CM to discuss their future over talk that plans for their resettlement were progressing has not been entertained.

"We do not want to land in the same predicament as the residents of Kampung buah Pala," said Sivakumar, who lives on Ladang Transkrian plantation.

Below-poverty earnings

Another resident, P Murugan, 36, said many residents who had lost their jobs in factories, and some who earned below-poverty incomes, were in need of assistance from the state government.

"For example, on Ladang Kaledonia plantation, five families do not have access to clean water, although the majority of the residents do.

"The (state) government needs to plan out a way to resettle all residents to strategic areas that are fitted with basic facilities, including schooling," he said.

The first generation of residents worked on a rubber plantation that had been developed prior to their arrival and wherein housing was provided by the plantation owners up until today.

The well-worn houses have water and electricity supply, but there are shortcomings to the sewerage system, though every plantation has a school, kuil and graveyard.

- Bernama