A group of villagers in Selangor's Batu Tiga is taking the Shah Alam City Hall (MBSA) to task for "abuse of power, disregarding laws and criminal intimidation" in an on-going dispute over alternative housing for about 74 families.

Shah Alam mayor Ramli Mahmud was named in a police report made on behalf of the villagers by Kampung Saujana residents action committee member S Natchymuthu on Wednesday at the Section 11 station in Shah Alam.

The report cited Ramli's statement published in Tamil Nesan on Dec 31 where he was quoted as telling Kampung Saujana villagers to move out by March 15 as about 50 of their houses will be demolished.

The villagers were 'temporarily' moved to their present area next to Sungai Damansara in 1993 by developer Cekap Mesra Sdn Bhd while awaiting their low-cost housing to be completed.

But the developer had since reneged on their promise of providing them alternative housing. Instead of building low-cost housing, the developer had instead turned the promised plot into a commercial area.

The mayor had reportedly told the villagers to accept the RM38,000 offer for low-cost units in Bukit Subang. He said the City Hall had given them ample time to vacate the village.

The villagers have turned down the flats offered in Bukit Subang because it was located in an area different from what was originally promised by Cekap Mesra.

Met in Shah Alam today, Natchymuthu found it strange that Ramli should have given the March 15 deadline when discussions were underway between MBSA and the villagers.

"The MBSA should pressure Cekap Mesra to resolve this issue as per the relocation agreement with 74 families more than 10 years ago. The developer has conveniently remained silent so far," he noted.

"To date, we've never received any eviction notice from any party and without such a notice, the MBSA has no authority to demolish any house or issue any threat."

In the police report, Natchymuthu questioned the grounds on which the MBSA and Ramli are acting to demolish their houses .

Relocated to flood-prone area

He also questioned Cekap Mesra's motive of relocating the villagers 12 years ago to the now flood-prone area next to Sungai Damansara, which is about 50m away from their 'temporary' village.

Yesterday, Malay Mail quoted Ramli as saying that the villagers were squatting "on state land which has been designated as Subang Airport's buffer zone" and they must move out by the deadline.

The residents action committee chairperson M Sambasivam said the flight path argument was flawed because Subang Airport was fully operational until the opening of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 1998. Part of the airport is still being used by the Malaysian Air Force.

"We hold the (authorities) responsible because they all knew of the flight path but went on to relocate us and proceeded with the commercial development on the spot originally earmarked for our housing."

Ramli had also reportedly said that the housing development project by state-linked company Cekap Mesra, a subsidiary of Talam Corp, had to be scrapped as the land that had been approved for development "was found to be a river reserve".

It remains unclear, though, how the project could have been originally approved.

Low-cost unit too high

In the police report, Natchymuthu had questioned the offer of RM38,000 for a low-cost unit when the Selangor government has set the ceiling price at RM35,000 for its state-wide squatter relocation programme.

Ramli reportedly said the villagers had to only pay RM31,000 after a RM7,000 subsidy by the MBSA, according to the state policy for low-cost housing.

Commenting on this, V Selvam, co-ordinator of Suara Warga Pertiwi - a champion of housing rights for marginalised groups - felt there was something seriously wrong with the offer.

He said the state policy clearly stipulates that a RM7,000 subsidy was applicable to those involved in squatter relocation programmes.

"It does not apply to purchasers of low-cost units in the open market, so the selling price is RM42,000 for them," he explained.

"The villagers told me that (Seri Setia state assemblyperson) Seripah Noli (Syed Hussin) had told them during a visit to Kampung Saujana after the massive floods late last year that Cekap Mesra had paid the MBSA a sum of money to be given as a RM7,000 compensation for each family.

"Even if the compensation is being used to offset the price per unit, where did the RM7,000 state subsidy for low-cost housing go? How did the MBSA come up with an odd figure of RM38,000 when the ceiling for squatter relocation remains at RM35,000?"

Villagers 'tricked'

On Dec 27, more than 50 families attended a dialogue session called by Ramli at his office but some were not allowed to enter on grounds that their names were not on the MBSA list.

Selvam said that after a heated exchange, Ramli allowed the villagers in but tricked them into first signing for the receipt of the MBSA's letter offering them low-cost units at RM38,000 each.

"The villagers then staged a walkout in protest against MIC's interference at the meeting," he said, adding that a number of the people at the meeting were from the political party.

Natchymuthu claims the correct figure to be 74 according to the district office census done when they were relocated 10 years ago but the MBSA is working with 54 names taken in a recent census.

"Why should the MIC get involved in a meeting meant strictly for affected villagers? The politicians have always taken a couldn't-care-less attitude towards our plight despite knowing full well the hardship we had to endure all these years."

In fact, he said several MIC leaders had even accompanied the MBSA officers who dropped in at the village unannounced the next day for another round of census-taking.

"We refused to allow any of them in until the politicians were told to leave, which they did," he added.