The homes of 19 Orang Asli families in Kluang were today demolished even before a formal agreement on the terms of their relocation was signed.

Representative from the Kluang Land Department and Kluang Municipal Council moved in to demolish houses at Kampung Datuk Abdul Rahman Yassin at 9am today.

The local residents were to be placed at a ‘transit home’ at Balai Raya Batu 8 and other locations, pending new homes that would be built for them.

However, the demolition was opposed by the local folk as there was no black-and-white assurance that they would be properly compensated.

Demolition works were briefly halted as local residents negotiated for the terms of their relocation.

They were promised RM2,500 in cash, a replacement home for each of the 19 families and that they would be given jobs in a farming project.

The assurances will be put in an agreement which will be handed over to the community there on Friday by the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

Mengkibol state assemblyperson Tan Hong Pin criticised the demolition works before a proper settlement was arrived at.

“Furthermore, Jakoa or any other authority should have their new homes ready before relocating them and not place them in transit homes without a definite period,” he said.

Tan urged the government to implement the Malaysian Human Rights Commission's (Suhakam) recommendation to improve the lives of the Orang Asli community which is being marginalised and gazette their territory as reserve land.