Parti Sosialis Malaysia will lead about 40 petty traders and factory workers to the Cameron Highlands district office tomorrow in a protest march to demand action on long-standing complaints.

The party’s People’s Representatives Council secretary Suresh Kumar said the group will comprise mainly Indian Malaysian vegetable farmers, hawkers and factory workers.

Their main grievances:

 

  • Six vegetable farmers said they have not obtained Temporary Occupation Licences (TOL) although they have worked the land for more than 20 years.
 
  • Urban pioneer settlers (squatters) said they have not been given titles to the land they have occuped for more than 40 years.

  • The district office has refused to license food stalls operating over the last four years.

  • There has been no response to a request for low-cost housing by 11 third-generation factory workers of Blue Valley Tea Estate, who face eviction from quarters provided.

Suresh said five letters had been written seeking a meeeting with District Officer Mohammad Noor Abdul Rani.

Mohammad Noor had met some of the complainants earlier this year and promised to look into their grievances, said Suresh.

NONE Subsequently, the district office replied, stating that the Pahang government had stopped allocating state land for the use of farms, stalls and housing since 2001.

However, Suresh (right) argued that those affected people had submitted their applications prior to 2001 and that they are legally entitled to state land.

Last October, PRC had lodged a police report against Mohammad Noor for allegedly failing to address the grievances.

“We decided at a meeting yesterday to go ahead with the protest march although the police have refused to issue us the permit,” he added.