Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Latheefa Koya was targeted for ouster after she spoke out against the state government on behalf of a group of protesters, the Selangor and Federal Territories Community Association (Permas) said today.

The controversy began when the association organised a peaceful protest against the state government outside the Selangor state secretariat building (SUK) over land issues, Permas president Tan Jo Hann said.

NONE "This entire episode started when Permas and the 48 families of Matang Pagar staged a peaceful protest outside the SUK gates on June 20.

"This action was sparked by a long drawn-out land case which had been 'mishandled' by Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim," Tan ( left ) said in a statement.

Subsequently, Tan said, the association sent a strongly worded text message to several Pakatan Rakyat representatives and city councillors, including Latheefa.

"Our text message was to convey a strong message to the Selangor Menteri Besar, state government and also the Pakatan Rakyat leaders that ordinary poor families were barred from entering the gates of the SUK.

"They had to stand under the hot sun for a few hours, just because some overzealous state officers were afraid we would shout slogans and hold placards in the SUK building.

The text message added that "...MB Tan Sri Khalid has avoided meeting us for one year, couldn't he at least give us one hour to discuss face-to-face?

"We were not there to make trouble but out of desperation, we decided to stage a demonstration to get the MB and State exco's attention to our land case."

Following this, Tan speculates, Latheefa sent a "very strong message" to the Khalid to rectify the matter.

"A week later, talks of Latheefa's sacking were already circulating among the media and other circles and ultimately culminated in the menteri besar admitting that Latheefa's sacking had been tabled and the state exco has been mulling over the matter," he said.

Tan added that the PKR councillor should not be punished for being outspoken or penalised in her position as a local councillor.

'Reject Latheefa's resignation'

"At most, she may be singled out for being ‘disloyal' to the state government, which she is supposed to be supporting. But since when are 'support' and 'loyalty' equated to blind acceptance and not standing up for one's beliefs?

"We salute Latheefa because we believe she resigned her position in MBPJ not out of fear or cowardice, but to maintain her integrity and to show that she will not be cowed by threats to her appointment as local councillor for speaking out for poor families," he said.

Latheefa tendered her resignation as MBPJ councillor today, saying speculations of her sacking over an email sent to Khalid and top party leaders - despite it not being related to MBPJ matters - had made her position as a councillor untenable .

Permas called on Khalid to reject her resignation and to stop any talk of attempts to sack her.

"Permas would like to go on public record that we have known Latheefa to be a dedicated and sincere defender of human rights, especially the rights of the urban poor and squatters.

"Peaceful protests and constructive criticism are part and parcel of what is called democracy, and participants in this process must endure and also be willing to offer criticism so that our society can flourish and mature into a truly democratic existence," Tan added.