Several residents got into a tangle with police today as they tried to prevent workers from counting the number of graves at a cemetery in Sungai Kapal, Pengerang, as part of preparations to relocate the graves.

According to Coalition of Pengerang NGOs vice-chairperson Sim Seng San, the residents rushed to the cemetery after receiving word that five workers were counting the graves while being protected by some police officers at around 9am.

The graves are to be relocated to Sungai Rengit in March to make way for the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project.

Reached by Malaysiakini , Sim said that upon reaching the site, residents found the main road heading to the cemetery blocked by a police truck.

He claimed that more than 100 police personnel, comprising uniformed and plainclothes officers from the police Special Branch, as well as men from the General Operations Force (GOF), were there protecting the workers at the cemetery.

Even so, Sim said, several residents managed to enter the cemetery before the road was totally sealed off, while some other residents were later allowed in.

Residents, attempting to stop the workers from continuing their work, begun quarrelling with the police, resulting in a resident being temporarily handcuffed, although the man was released not long afterwards.

“We urged them (police) to release the man immediately, and they did so,” Sim said, adding that the workers finished their job at around 1pm.

Sim slammed the contractor for using the authorities to help them carry out their work, despite the fact that residents were filing a case against the Johor government to stop the relocation.

Police: Contractor claimed workers were threatened

Although dead set against the relocation of the cemetery, Sim said the residents were nonetheless willing to allow the the cemetery to be sealed off during the construction of the petrochemical plant.

“You can allow us (residents) to enter the cemetery to worship once a year. This is the last stage that we can compromise on, but we are still unhappy with what the government is doing.

“Malaysia is a democratic country, why must you do this (relocate the cemetery)?” Sim asked.

Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi district police chief Rahmat Othman explained the police presence this morning was due to the fact the contractor had lodged a police report.

“We received a report that the workers of the contractor were threatened.

“No matter who lodges the police report, we will help them,” Rahmat said when contacted by Malaysiakini .

Although he confirmed that a team of GOF men were also deployed there, Rahmat refused to divulge the actual number of police personnel sent.