A group of cattle farmers and former estate workers from two separate plantations who claim to have been 'cheated by big firms' brought their plight to outgoing Chief Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah today after exhausting all other means.

They submitted a three-page memorandum asking Mohamed Dzaiddin to "ensure that laws are interpreted independently and impartially instead of from the companies' perspective".

They also urged the chief justice, who will be retiring o­n Saturday, to "take action and advise certain companies and their lawyers not to take shortcuts but respect the country's legal system".

Registrar of the Malaya High Court Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah received the memorandum o­n Mohamed Dzaiddin's behalf, from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) pro tem secretary-general S Arutchelvan at Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad in Kuala Lumpur, where the Federal Court and chief justice's office are housed.

Mohd Zabidin promised to bring the matter to the chief justice's attention.

Accompanying Arutchelvan this morning were some 30 workers and farmers from Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak in Shah Alam and Ladang Bukit Tinggi in Klang.

The crowd gathered outside the building at about 11am, carrying banners which read: 'Justice denied, our livelihood destroyed' and ' Ketua Hakim Negara mesti campurtangan ' (The chief justice must intervene).

They dispersed shortly after handing the memorandum about an hour later.

Houses demolished

In Ladang Jelutong Rasak, former workers had their houses demolished twice by the owner Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd with the assistance of the police and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

The plantation company obtained a court order o­n June 6 last year for the former workers to vacate the units and to return them to the company.

However, the workers claimed the order was served o­n them o­nly 30 minutes before the demolition o­n June 26, denying them a 14-day response period which they should have had.

They also demanded for fair compensation and low-cost terrace houses as they claimed they were promised housing when relocated to the present plantation from another Guthrie site.

Last week, the workers submitted a memorandum

to former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, Musa Hitam, who was appointed as Guthrie chairperson last August.

Meanwhile in Ladang Bukit Tinggi, the cattle farmers claimed that Gemilang Waras Sdn Bhd and Labur Bina Sdn Bhd - the developers who had acquired the land from Guthrie - had demolished their cowsheds pending a court case which was to decide o­n vacant possession.

The farmers also suspected that the police in their district had collaborated with the developers to evict them illegally.

Early this month, the farmers submitted a memorandum to Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai to complain

about police inaction to the 101 reports they had lodged over two years.

Plight of the poor

Speaking to reporters later, Arutchelvan said he hoped Dzaiddin would deliver fairness and justice to the former estate workers and cattle farmers.

"We hope he will do o­ne last good thing for us before he goes," he said.

The PSM leader and social activist said the experience of the two groups was part of the predicaments faced by many poor segments of society in their daily life.

"They (the poor) have always been cheated by big firms, just like the case we have here today. The firms do it not through legal means but illegal means," he said.

Responding to Guthrie's claim last week that it had not mistreated any of its former workers, Arutchelvan said: "It is nothing but lies."

He said Guthrie had not held any negotiations with the workers as claimed but had threatened and warned the workers to vacate their houses before stern action such as cutting off electricity and water supplies is taken.