ADUN SPEAKS Some sections of the Tamil media are trying to giving the impression that Thamarai Holdings Bhd, owned by the Lotus Group of Companies, has resolved the land problem of more than 200 settlers in the Gatco village called Kampung Serempang Indah in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, by giving each settler family a four-acre plot of land.

Nothing can be further from the truth. Some of the Tamil daily publications by just talking to MIC members and the ketua kampung, are trying to say that demands for eight-acre plots of land for settlers is something unreasonable and that Thamarai Holdings is prepared to give them four acres each, free of charge.

We must remember that these MIC members, former officials of the defunct Gatco , and the members of the village unit, are few in number and they do not represent the interests or concerns of the settlers.

From the beginning of the settlers struggle to obtain a decent settlement, these MIC members have closely worked with the authorities to dilute the struggle waged by settlers of Gato village.

In so far as the settlers are concerned, Thamarai Holdings and the state officials of the Negeri Sembilan government have not invited them for talks to resolve the problem amicably. The talk about four acres being offered by Thamarai Holdings to the settlers comes from the mouths of very few people who can hardly be considered representatives of the settlers.

The struggle waged by the Gatco settlers goes back to more than 30 years. When they were brought in the late 1970s, they paid deposit on the basis of the promise of 10-acre plots of agricultural land per family and one acre for them to erect their house.

While they have successfully purchased the housing land and built houses, the agricultural land that was promised has remained elusive to this day.

Gatco sells off land in clandestine manner

After the passage of a few years, Gatco went back on its earlier promise and offered the settlers only eight acres each, citing financial and administrative problems. Even this was not delivered and after this, Gatco went into receivership due to financial scandals, mismanagement and corruption.

Later, when Gatco wanted to dispose of its property, the settlers wanted to buy the land for the price of RM16 million. But then, out of the blue, the land was sold in a clandestine manner to Thamarai Hodings Bhd, a subsidiary of Lotus Group.

In the absence of any amicable settlement, the settlers filed a case seeking declaration that Gatco's sale of the land to Thamarai Holdings was null and void and sought an order to refrain the defendants (Gatco) from dealing with the land.

The court has not made any final decision on the matter, but early this month, Thamarai Holdings moved into the land scheme, assisted by hundreds of policemen, members of Rela and hired thugs, to level the rubber trees of the settlers.

The settlers tried their best to stop this forcible move, but ended by being beaten and arrested by the police and Rela members. Three state assemblypersons were also arrested during the protest.

There are seven Tamil dailies in Malaysia, which are all competing with one another for the limited Tamil readership in the rather shrinking market. With the exception of one or two dailies, the rest of the Tamil dailies have been rather reluctant to report on the Gatco matter for one reason or another.

It is not difficult to find out find out why this is so. Lotus Group is a prominent Indian company in Malaysia and many of these publications depend on it for advertising revenue. Furthermore Lotus Group directors have established a good relationship with the heads of these Tamil dailies.

Therefore, there is a general reluctance on the part of the Tamil dailies, not all of them, to carry unfavourable news about Thamarai Holdings or Lotus Group.

To this date, Thamarai Holdings has not invited the Kampung Gatco residents to offer them a solution to the land issue. The talk about four acres being offered to each settler family remains fictitious, apparently lies being spread by a tiny group that benefits from the activities of Thamarai Holdings.

According to the representatives of the settlers, they are prepared to engage in talks with officials from Thamarai and the state government to reach an amicable settlement.

The Tamil media must exercise caution in reporting about problems affecting the members of the Indian working class.

By blindly supporting and writing false reports about the settlers, the Tamil media is indeed doing a great disservice to the Indian community, a community that is so marginalised, discriminated and ostracised by greedy capitalists, ruthless state officials and an apathetic public!

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the assemblyperson for Perai.