Villagers stall TNB demolishers

Some 200 residents gathered at the entrance to Rawang new village in a successful last-ditch bid to stall the construction of high tension cable towers by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).

All three roads leading to the village were blocked by the residents from 7.30am, but the group dispersed at 11.50am as there was no sign of the TNB team as anticipated.

The residents waited outside the main entrance, across which they had parked a backhoe, and kept up their spirits with songs and speeches.

Some carried banners and placards reading 'TNB get out' and 'TNB zalim (TNB is cruel)' in an attempt to stop the company from demolishing about 60 homes in the area.

Others wore red headbands with words: ‘TBN get lost!’, ‘Oppose TNB!’, ‘This is our land!’ and ‘Don’t evict us!’.

Demolition stalled

By mid-day, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin Kah Fui assured that no demolition would take place until a discussion is held between TNB and the villagers on Friday.

This was relayed by Rawang state assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei to the villagers after she was informed of the matter by a colleague in Parliament.

Gan said the meeting would also involve Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim, who will act as the arbitrator in the discussions.

The federal government decision to stall demolitions comes just a day after Chin advised villagers to respect the decision of the Federal Court to allow TNB to proceed with its plans.

Last year, the Federal Court ruled that TNB could resume construction works and ordered them to compensate residents RM10.4 million.

"It is the Federal court's decision to grant TNB the right to construct high voltage cables, not me," Chin was reported as saying.

Minor commotions

Earlier today, two individuals claiming to be from TNB arrived at 11am, but left almost immediately. After they were surrounded by villagers, they claimed to be there just to take photographs.

Another commotion occurred when a person donning a thick gold chain who claims to represent MCA told off the villagers and dismissed their struggle as "futile". He left the scene quickly after being jeered and scolded by the villagers.

“We won’t give up! Go away!,” shouted one villager.

Numerous Pakatan Rakyat state assemblypersons, MPs and municipal councillors were at the scene.

Pandamaran state assemblyperson and state exco member Ronnie Liu told reporters that although the villagers had lost in court, TNB should not enter the village until both parties have worked out a compensation scheme.

He said the compensation offered by TNB was unfair and it was not even enough to buy a low cost house.

Liu advised TNB to relocate the project to an alternative site already gazetted by the state government or construct underground cables as done in Kuala Lumpur, although both options are costlier.   

"On our side, we have settled all technical issues and it is up to TNB now to resolve theirs," said Liu, who was confined to a wheelchair because of a recent surgery. 

'High pole method' mooted

Currently, the proposed site affects 60 over houses and under the law, high voltage cables should be 60 feet away from housing areas, he added.

Meanwhile, Selayang MP William Leong said representatives of the villagers and TNB had held a meeting yesterday afternoon, but failed to reach consensus.

Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall chief executive officer and advisor to the villagers Tan Ah Cai ( right ) told the crowd earlier that TNB had indicated during the meeting that it may use another method of construction that is deemed "safer and which is widely used in Japan".

The "high pole method" is said to have been used around Istana Negara as well.

Bernama reported on Monday that the TNB engineering team would enter the new village today, to restart the project which was halted five years ago.

Residents have expressed worry that their homes may be demolished to make way for the towers, which will also divide the village into two.