Ladang Batu Kawan in Seberang Perai Selatan is the only land they have known for five generations.

The land, close to the Batu Kawan Stadium and accessible by the North-South Expressway and soon to be completed Second Penang Bridge, is home to some 80 farmers, 400 cows and 150 goats.

On July 20, when the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) told the farmers that they have only another three years to occupy the land, they were devastated.

The plans by the PDC, the state’s development arm which took over the land in 1992, for a development project, including affordable housing by the state, is under way.

Today, members of the Batu Kawan Farmers Association came to Komtar, hoping to hand over a memorandum on their plight to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim, however, is in Kuala Lumpur, but a representative from his office received the memorandum on her boss’ behalf.

In the three-page memorandum, T Letchumanan, spokesperson for the group, voiced concern over development plans in the state helmed by Lim since 2008.

He said the PDC wants to “effectively wipe us out” by removing the cattle farmers who have lived on the land for over 100 years.

“Development has to mean something to us, we have contributed to creating value for this land. To summarily remove us from our traditional abode and occupations without due consideration is not recognising our contribution,” he lamented.

“PDC’s position now just perpetuates a historical injustice instead of seeking to correct it through the state government’s development policies,” added the 46-year-old.

The farmers want the state to alienate adequate land - about five acres per farmer - and allocate it to the members of the association for the purpose of cattle farming.

Currently, there are 61 members in the association, with most farming on the 7,000 acres of land.

NONE Also present in Komtar was K Muniammal, 44 ( left ), who said that before the 2008 elections, the federal government had promised them a 52-acre piece of land.

However, the PDC offered them a mere 17 acres to continue their farming work.

“They did not tell us where we could move to after the three years. What will happen to us?” asked Muniammah, who has 12 children, aged between eight and 21 years.

“When I was young, the estate owner here offered each family about RM200 to vacate the land and look for our own homes, but how is that possible, with that little money?” she queried.

Her husband, Balasundram Raman, 57, said there are houses, Hindu shrines, a school and burial ground where their ancestors were buried on the land.

But having no rights to the site has landed them in trouble with the local council.

“We are sometimes fined for farming on the land by the Seberang Perai Municipal Council. Sometimes our cattle get stolen, we lose a lot of money by not having our own land,” he added.

Required to sign an annual renewable contract

State Hindraf secretary Devi Narayanasam said the PDC requires the farmers to sign an annual renewable contract to continue occupying the land.

“Why do they have to do this? Are they criminals? After these three years, where do they go to?” she asked.

“The federal government via Felda and Felcra has done much for the Malay farmers but there is nothing planned for the Indian community,” she added.

NONE “This is their only means of survival, of livelihood, they cannot simply look for another job, go to a factory to find work, this is what they know best,” stressed the 57-year-old.

Devi ( left ) said Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, the former Batu Kawan MP, was present at the SPS District Office when farmers were allegedly promised the 52 acres of land.

When contacted, Ramsamy said the state had never promised the farmers the 52 acres.

“It must be a figment of their imagination. We only told them we would help them to get a piece of land. As you know, land is hard to come by in Batu Kawan and the PDC has met them to offer them the 17 acres. The land would soon be handed over to them as some work still needs to be done on it,” he said.

“They would definitely need to sign a contract with PDC for the land, which would cost them a small sum of money. It is necessary for them so they can maintain control over the plot,” he added.

As for Hindraf members who were present in Komtar, Ramasamy said with sarcasm, “Why don’t they ask their Deputy Minister P Waythamoorthy to resolve the issue? Isn’t he supposed to settle problems of all Indians with one stroke of the pen?”

Batu Kawan MP Kasturirani Patto said that the state, PDC and farmers will meet on Monday to “fine tune” the solutions to the issue so that all quarters would benefit from a win-win situation.

“The PDC put forward some proposals on July 20, but those were not met optimistically by the farmers. They were not definite and final, there is still room for discussions,” she told Malaysiakini.

“Overall, it looks optimistic for the farmers, and the meeting on Monday would definitely give the farmer a better perspective on their situation,” she added.