Barisan Alternatif leaders this evening met with residents in the areas off Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya where community clashes since last Thursday have claimed six lives.

Keadilan president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Parti Rakyat Malaysia president Dr Syed Husin Ali, DAP national chairman Lim Kit Siang and PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa spent one and a half hour walking around to obtain feedback from the people in the area and to see the situation firsthand.

Joined by 70-odd people comprising members of the press, church, non-governmental organisations and opposition parties, their visit, which ended at 7.30pm, included the KTM longhouses which is 90 percent occupied by Indians relocated from the Glenmarie estate in 1980.

As the group entered the longhouses after walking through the muddy back alley, residents welcomed them warmly, many coming forward to shake hands with the leaders, especially with Wan Azizah.

The leaders were seen talking to the residents at their doors, telling them to be patient and to remain calm. The residents related to the leaders, their living conditions amidst shabbily-constructed wooden longhouses with zinc roofs that leaked. Rubbish was strewn everywhere and there are no proper drains in the area.

Abandoned flats

Blocks of flats abandoned during construction give the impression of a war zone.

One resident said that the place has been like that for years.

"We have been here for 20 years and they have yet to give us our own houses," one resident was heard saying.

"We have no problems with the Malays here. People outside tell us it is just rumours and the killings were not true. But we know what is happening. When night comes, we become very afraid of what will happen," said an Indian woman as she explained that the Malay men who entered the neighbourhood and caused havoc are outsiders.

"I have not been to work for the past few days. I am a lorry driver. How am I supposed to eat?" said another Indian resident, not wanting to be named for fear of being targetted.

They also said that there is only one exit and entry point which makes it not only difficult but also very dangerous if some disaster were to happen.

Petaling Jaya Selatan PAS chief Ustad Supian then spoke to 200 residents, mainly Indians, stating that all should not condone fighting between races and should live in harmony. A man, who said he was the MIC head there, volunteered to translate what Supian said.

Legal aid

The entourage also visited the Desaria flats, where the incident that supposedly triggered off the fight happened.

The clashes between communities were said to have been erupted when a Malay man tried to stop two Indian men from fighting. The Malay man was hit and news of the incident spread after that.

The Malay man was remanded by the police when he went to lodge a report of him being hit, his wife related from behind the grilles of her flat to Wan Azizah.

The man will be brought to court tomorrow, but the wife has yet to know on what charge. She also asked that her husband be given legal aid, which was promised by Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, who is also a Keadilan supreme council member.

The flats, a Malay-majority area, appeared less tense compared with the days before and people of both races were seen going about their daily chores, although it was already dusk.

Later, the police deployed to the area told Keadilan's Azmin Ali to inform the entourage that they would have to leave after visiting the flats. The police kept a watch on the group.

Heavy downpour

The BA leaders said expressed concern over the living conditions of the people.

Syed Husin said on the whole, the walkabout was a success, although it was delayed by heavy downpour.

Lim, who issued a statement, called for a three-prong response from the government to the Taman Medan clashes including an independent commission of inquiry and a RM100 million socio-economic upliftment programme.

"The cabinet tomorrow should establish a commission of inquiry to investigate into the causes of the five-day clashes and attacks. The inquiry should also find out whether the police had acted with neutrality and professionalism, and why the five-day clashes with the heavy toll of deaths, injuries and damages to inter-ethnic relations could not have been averted," said Lim.

He also questioned the police decision today to ban all public gatherings and speeches in Selangor, stating that it is ridiculous to state the clashes as the reason.

"Political gatherings have no connection with the clashes and all the political parties had acted most responsibly in trying to end the clashes," said Lim.