Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said today that he would seek an appointment with the Attorney-General to discuss further action on the allegations that 24 rubber tappers were murdered by British troops in 1948.

"We will act on the matter and bring it up with the AG," he told malaysiakini.

On Tuesday, a group of survivors and family members were present at a DAP-organised forum to speak on their experiences when soldiers from the British Scots Guard regiment allegedly killed 24 rubber tappers in cold blood in Batang Kali, Selangor.

Lim was told to meet with the AG by the government while responding to a query by M Kulasegaran (DAP - Ipoh Barat) in Parliament yesterday.

Lim, who is also DAP chairperson, also heard Finance Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Dr Hilmi Yahaya replying that investigations initiated into the massacre was officially closed in 1997.

"The police probe wrapped up in 1997 and investigations papers were handed over to the then Attorney-General Mohtar Abdullah.

"However, the matter was closed the same year when the AG said no prosecution was possible," Hilmi added.

Be transparent in probe

Lim said while it was understandable that prosecution could not take place as it happened a long time ago, the police should at least be transparent with their investigations.

"The issue here now is that an injustice had occurred with the massacre of innocent people and therefore the police should make public its results to clear the name of the 24 rubber tappers," Lim said

The families of victims who survived had earlier complained that despite police investigations in 1993 and intervention on their behalf by MCA's Public Complaints Bureau chief Michael Chong in 1994, their efforts came to naught.

Lim also expressed the hope that some form of acknowledgment of their pain and anguish should be forthcoming from the British government.

"Should it be proven that if a massacre has taken place and that innocent people had been killed the next stage is to pursue the matter with the British government," Lim said.

In a statement today, the opposition leader also called on all parliamentarians from both sides of the political spectrum to work together to end the injustice.

When contacted, the British High Commission's Political, Economic and Public Diplomacy chief Edward Hobart said that he would be getting in touch with the UK's Ministry of Defense for a response.

Michael Chong could not be contacted for details today.