A Kajang-based community group today described Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's proposal to get developers to offer ex-estate workers jobs in their companies as a "big sham".

Social activist S Arutchelvan, of the non-profit Community Development Centre which is actively involved in obtaining alternative housing for displaced plantation workers, described Mohd Khir's argument as "flawed".

He said the two biggest problems affecting workers in plantations earmarked for development were wages and housing, which the state has failed to address.

"Ex-plantation workers are already being employed by developers even without state intervention. So, I'm not sure what the menteri besar really meant when he said developers will be required to hire them," he said when contacted.

"The older men are usually hired as security guards while the women are offered jobs as cleaners once the project is completed, as in Putrajaya. The youth have all left the plantations for factory jobs and in the surrounding townships and industrial areas."

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today quoted Mohd Khir as telling a Deepavali crowd in Klang yesterday that the state would impose a condition requiring developers to absorb displaced plantation workers into their companies.

'Lacking in understanding'

He was also quoted as praising estate workers for their "sweat and toil" in putting Selangor in the forefront of development, and assured them that their welfare, especially their livelihood, would be safeguarded.

In addition to hiring ex-estate workers, the proposal would require the developers to re-train ex-workers to operate machinery and perform clerical tasks.

Arutchelvan said Mohd Khir's ( left ) remarks revealed "total lack of any understanding of the actual problems" faced by former plantation workers and their families when an estate is sold for development.

"He is talking nonsense and has no clue as to what is happening to these people. They already earn extremely low wages at the plantation, so much so that hiring or re-training them would not make much of a difference to their livelihood. The biggest problem remains housing," he said.

He said the only way for the state government to help the ex-workers would be to get developers to offer adequate compensation and proper housing.

However, he said the problem with this is the state "cushions the developers" by requiring the displaced workers to fork out RM35,000 for a low-cost unit.

"The state is protecting the developers, leaving the ex-workers in a quandary as they will never be able to afford a low-cost unit," he added.

Policies not implemented

Arutchelvan said if Mohd Khir is genuine about uplifting the community, he would immediately implement existing policies that are designed to resolve the housing woes faced by the state's plantation sector.

Several key policies, which he said were passed since 1991, have not been implemented despite Mohd Khir's assurances to do so upon assuming office as menteri besar.

One such policy involves the acquisition of land by the state to build houses for displaced plantation workers when the estate management fails to do so before evicting them.

"But nothing has changed. In fact, he (Mohd Khir) is even advocating for the construction of flats instead of terrace houses," Arutchelvan said.

"This has given developers an edge as well as a good excuse because when we negotiate for low-cost terrace houses, they claim the state has directed that flats be built."

Another state policy that favours developers is the pricing of low-cost flats, which currently stands at RM25,000, RM35,000 and RM42,000 respectively - depending on the location.

"Instead of getting developers to compensate the ex-workers, the state has fixed a ceiling price of RM35,000 for low-cost units, which it claims is a special subsidised price.

"But it is beyond any ex-workers' means. Mohd Khir should instead reduce the premium on land to prevent developers from using the same argument."

He said the menteri besar has failed to do anything concrete to resolve poverty in plantations.

"So far, all state actions seem to favour developers. The least the Selangor government can do is ensure that proper housing is provided for these ex-workers, but it wants to use them for cheap labour instead," he added.