The Shah Alam High Court today postponed the hearing of an application to strike out an injunction obtained by 20 families in Kampung Sungai Chua affected by the Kajang outer ring road project.

The application will be heard next Thursday, Oct 30.

The 20 houseowners are seeking fair compensation for their buildings and land compulsorily acquired by the government for the 37km traffic dispersal ring road project which is scheduled for completion in April next year.

Although many of the families have lived in the new village for generations, they are willing to move given the appropriate compensation.

The state reportedly offered each family RM25,000 and a piece of land measuring 3,500 sq ft located near the Sungai Chua industrial area. The compensation was based on the length of the leases.

But residents are dissatisfied with the below-market-value offer, claiming that some villagers had been given compensation up to more than RM500,000.

Home to 80 families

Earlier this month, the 20 families filed an application seeking an order to temporarily stop the demolition pending the outcome of their case before the court.

Justice Zaleha Zahari granted the order maintaining status quo last Friday.

The defendants named are Sistem Lingkaran Lebuhraya Sdn Bhd (SILK), Sunway Holdings Inc Bhd, Sunway Construction Sdn Bhd and the Hulu Langat land and district offices.

The new village was home to 80 families, some of whom have now left after accepting whatever compensation that was offered.

Tan Yoke Kwee, who is leading the committee representing the 20 families, claimed they were also duped into surrendering the leases to the state with a promise of renewal or through a fresh application.

"Only later did we realise that the fresh applications were rejected by the state government," he said when met at the court today.

"At the moment, the workers are dumping construction debris and blocking the path right in front of our houses.

"We are very angry with such inconsiderate action. We will fight this till the end," vowed a visibly upset Tan, a used-car saleperson in Kajang.

The DAP is currently assisting the group with legal representation, including advice from the party's Perak legal bureau.

Police report lodged

Meanwhile, one of the group's lawyer T Uma Parvathy lodged a police report on Monday following a report in a major Chinese daily that the houses would be demolished despite the injunction.

The daily had quoted sources in its report, subsequently refusing to divulge related details when met by several DAP officials at its office.

"We checked with the state assistant legal advisor and he denied making any public statement on the demolition exercise," Uma stated in the police report.

"The news report had also mentioned the presence of riot police at the village during the so-called demolition, which turned out to be false information."

Tan added that the report has caused much distress to the remaining families, with some holding a vigil until morning for fear of their houses being demolished while they were asleep. - AFP