Disgruntled by the inaction to their 101 police reports lodged since 2001, a group of cattle farmers from Klang claimed the police in the district are collaborating with a developer to evict them and want the Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai to investigate the matter.

The farmers, from Ladang Bukit Tinggi, submitted a memorandum to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

Besides calling for a probe, they also appealed to the police to immediately stop the developer - Gemilang Waras - from "illegally encroaching" into their land.

The 30-odd farmers, who were accompanied by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) pro tem president Dr Nasir Hashim, secretary-general S Arutchelvan and central committee member V Selvam, also lodged another report calling for disciplinary action against the police in Klang.

The farmers also displayed banners that read - "70 years of cattle farming destroyed" and "Klang police conspired with the developer" outside the police headquarters.

The dispute between the cattle farmers and the developer erupted when the previous landowner - Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd - sold part of the estate to Gemilang Waras to develop a township known as Bandar Bukit Tinggi in 1993.

The developer has been allegedly trying to evict the farmers since 2000 and was also accused of using thugs and the police to intimidate them.

Criminal trespass

"The developer is actually illegally trespassing into the land, encroaching it and working o­n the land which is in the possession of the farmers," said Selvam when contacted today.

He said the developer should stop their "criminal trespass" as the dispute between both parties was pending in court.

"For instance, if I am renting a house and you are the owner, you can't just simply enter into the house," he added.

The developer obtained an injunction order o­n Jan 9 this year, which gave them the right to work o­n the land until the conclusion of the main case.

However, the farmers claimed the developer had demolished their cowsheds even before the court ruled o­n the issue of vacant possession.

Selvam said the developer had demolished 11 cowsheds and o­ne that housed goats, causing the farmers to lose about 500 cows and 100 goats.

"This is not something simple. If you put a price of RM2,000 per cow, you lose o­ne million ringgit.

"This is very serious and the police should not look at the issue as a simple matter of cowsheds being brought down," he added.

He said the group has planned a series of actions to advance their struggle.

"Farmers are contemplating suing the developer for damages caused. This will include loss of livestock, property and livelihood," he added.

Klang police could not be reached for comment.