The state government may direct the Kinta District Land Office to stop bothering a 64-year-old joss-stick business man who has been trading on railway reserve land in Kantan in Chemor, Perak.

Liew Chin Nam @ Liew Ye Keong had been ordered to vacate the reserve land belonging to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB)

On Monday, four men approached Keong at his office and gave him a warning to move out by the end of the month or face forceful eviction by both land office personnel and the police.

k kunasekaran Liew and Parti Sosialis Malaysia's K Kunasekaran (right) today met state special advisor on Chinese affairs Chang Ko Youn and handed him a letter addressed to Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

In the letter, Liew made four requests to Zambry:

  • To revoke the land office notice asking Liew to vacate his premises and to stop the land office from interfering in the land matter.

  • Instruct the land office to identify an alternative site so that his livelihood is not affected.

  • Instruct KTMB and its business arm Railway Asset Corporation and Gamuda to settle the land matter through negotiations.

  • Instruct all the parties involved in the land dispute to stop encouraging illegal destruction and damage to his property.

Family occupying site for 49 years

Liew's family have been occupying the railway site for the past 49 years and paying RM125 monthly rent until February this year.

liew chin nam yew kheong joss stick manufacturer ktm land perak 240609 02 Liew was then ordered by Railway Asset Corporation to vacate the land to make way a double tracking project by Gamuda Bhd.

After the 10 minutes discussion, Chang said that he will refer the matter to the menteri besar for a solution to the land problem.

"I will ask the menteri besar to extend the time frame beyond the June 30 deadline which is too short a period for him to relocate his business activities."

"The state government must find a solution for Liew. He should be offered something so that his livelihood is not disrupted.

"Even though the Gamuda project is a huge one, the livelihood and interests of the public in general is equally important."

State can provide a solution

liew chin nam yew kheong joss stick manufacturer ktm land perak 240609 03 Meanwhile, Kunasekaran told Malaysiakini that the state government has the power to provide a solution.

"The previous Pakatan Rakyat state government was on the verge of solving the land matter when it was ousted from power.

"So, we hope that the Barisan Nasional state government will finish what the previous state government had started," said Kunasekaran.

"Otherwise, we have no other alternative but to approach the Ipoh High Court for a stay order on the move by the Land Office to forcefully evict Liew," he added.