Houses of 24 families in a kampung near Kuching were demolished by the authorities on Thursday, and the villagers claim the cause is their support for PKR.

 

The homes in Kampung Samariang Tanah Merah were destroyed by the Lands and Surveys Department officers, and according to the villagers it happened after de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's  Santubong visit last week.

 

“Why only our houses were demolished by the officers of the Lands and Surveys, and not the other 137 houses, if it is not because of our political affiliation?” asked affected villager Madian Maharup at a press conference today.

 

Madian said they have been living in the village for 30 years and had no issues, until Anwar’s visit to Santubong.

 

Madian said the affected families belong to ‘Team B’, which supports PKR, while 137 other families in the same village are in the ‘Team A’,who are PBB/BN supporters.

 

“Is there any connection between the demolishment of the houses and the visit of Anwar?” he asked.

 

‘Victimised for supporting opposition’

 

Early Thursday, the officers  destoyed a seafood restaurant at Jalan Sultan Tengah, Santubong.

 

At the press conference, restaurant operator Dayang Noorazilla Jasni, claimed she was victimised for supporting the opposition.

 

She said that she started the restaurant eight years ago at the invitation of a government linked-company for tourists who come  to Santubong to enjoy jungle trekking and mountain climbing.

 

Dayang Noorazilla claimed she has spent hundreds of thousands to renovate the food outlet and had the support of the state government and elected representatives to operate the restaurant.

 

“But now things have changed, apparently because of my political belief,” she said.

 

She added that the Lands and Surveys Department gave her a week's deadline to move out, failing which the restaurant will be demolished.

 

On Thursday, she said a group of more than 200 officers of the department and police personnel came to demolish the restaurant.

 

Commenting on the two incidents, Petra Jaya Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) deputy chief Jamilah Baharuddin accused the officers of behaving like gangsters during the demolition.

 

She said those affected are small-time bumiputera businessmen and simple kampung folk, and these are the actions of a government “uncaring towards the ordinary people”.

 

“AMK is in the midst of checking the full facts of the two cases before we file legal action against the authorities,” said Jamilah, who is also a lawyer.