About 30 people staged a protest outside the office of Guthrie chairperson Musa Hitam in Kuala Lumpur today over the recent demolition of houses in an estate in Shah Alam.

The group representing the Residents' Association of Bukit Jelutong Rasak gathered outside Menara Citibank at about 10.30am.

They carried a banner that read, "Tan Sri Musa Hitam, where are our basic rights" and also distributed leaflets to passers-by.

The former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) was appointed to his position as Guthrie chairperson in Aug 2002. He is also the director of the Lion Group, which has its head office in Menara Citibank.

Several representatives of the resident's association also handed a memorandum to Musa via Guthrie's Public Affairs Manager Noor Aizam Al Jeffri who came to the scene later after being informed about the protest.

Noor Aizam told reporters the memorandum would be passed to Musa and to Guthrie's management for further consideration.

Some 30 police personnel, including members of the Light Strike Force were present at the scene but no untoward incidents were reported.

The protestors dispersed at about 11.30am, shortly after handing over the memorandum.

Fair compensation

Among the demands in the memorandum, the residents said Guthrie should provide them with fair compensation and fixed low cost terrace houses in Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak.

"We were promised in 1979 when we were moved to this site from two other estates that we would be given permanent accommodation in Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak. However, in 1997, we were asked to move again to another estate called Ladang Subang because the company wanted to develop the area," they said.

The residents also asked that they be given compensation for the two occasions that their houses were demolished and for all works at the site to stop while an agreement was reached between the two sides.

On Monday, 10 people were arrested when they attempted to prevent Shah Alam Municipal Council (MPSA) enforcement unit officers from demolishing 20 houses o­n the Guthrie land.

Among those detained were a pregnant woman and Tamil weekly Sembaruthi editor K Arumugam. They were released o­n police bail later o­n the same day.

The incident was the second attempt by the company to evict the residents who have persisted in remaining o­n the estate despite the termination of their employment service with the company in 1997.

Secretary of the residents' association K Jensen ( photo ), who was among those arrested o­n Monday, said his family had originally resided o­n Ladang Bukit Jelutong but was asked to move to Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak (a different site) in order to make way for new development.

"They told us that they would build houses for us there but now they are telling us that we have to move elsewhere. Many other families left the area because the company cut the water and electricity supply," he said, adding that several families, including his own were now trying to rebuild again their houses in the area.

According to him, the Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak site was home to families moved from two other former Guthrie estates, which were known separately in the 1970s as Ladang Bukit Jelutong and Ladang Rasak.

The former is now the site of an industrial area and the Shah Alam stadium while the latter has been converted into Royal Malaysian Air Force quarters.

Also involved in the demonstration were two activists and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) leaders S Arutchelvam ( photo , left ) and V Selvam.

Offers rejected

Meanwhile, Guthrie Property Development Holdings General Manager Zarul Akmar said the demolition of the houses were carried out because the residents did not have the right to remain o­n a private land.

"Our lawyers have informed us that the people are squatters so we do not need a court order for their eviction," he told malaysiakini when contacted yesterday.

Asked about the company's plans if the former-employees decide to rebuild their houses again, Zarul said the matter would be treated as a case of trespass o­n a private land.

He said the company had obtained a court order authorising the first demolition exercise carried out in February last year.

Explaining the company's position, Zarul said the Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak was approved for conversion into a mixed development area as early as 1996.

"In Aug 1997, we issued the termination of all workers and met with the union to make the arrangements. We gave retrenchment benefits and we even offered to find them jobs in other estates although the workers refused this," he said.

Zarul said the company abided by the Selangor state exco's requirement that alternative low cost housing be arranged for the residents but added the company's offer was accepted o­nly by half of the total number of families.

"We also complied with the Selangor exco decision for a temple to be built in the Ladang Subang area and for land to be given to a Tamil school for the children," he added.

He said that to date, Guthrie has made up to eight offers to remaining residents at the estate land to purchase the low cost houses at a discounted price of RM25, 000 (as opposed to the initial price of RM35, 000) but the attempts met with little success.

Asked why the residents have refused the offer, Zarul replied: "The residents have said that they did not want to stay in flats and preferred terrace houses."

"So far, we have been very lenient and kind. From the day of the termination up till 2001 when the final offer was made (for alternative housing), we have allowed them to stay at the estate for four years without charge. Guthrie paid for the water bills and the maintenance costs of roads and infrastructure in the area.

"The company has also made other subsidies for the former workers who have been resettled in the Kampung Melayu Subang area such as a bus service to Klang which costs the company about RM12, 000 per month," he said.

No court injunction

Responding to the resident's claims that the company did not have the right to demolish the houses pending the settlement of two court cases related to the issue, Zarul said the company has received no court injunction against the continuation of their development plans.

"If we receive the summons or a court order, we would stop work but we have not received any so far," he stressed.

Last November, Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak residents together with former workers facing similar eviction orders by Guthrie o­n other estates, filed a civil suit against the Selangor government for allegedly failing to help them obtain housing and land despite promising to do so.

The residents also sought an injunction from the court to stop projects currently carried out at their respective estates until the conclusion of the case.

The former Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak employees also filed another lawsuit earlier against Guthrie claiming damages for their eviction and the destruction of their homes.

Both cases have yet to be heard.