A total of 64 families today lodged police reports against a developer for failing to deliver their low-cost homes despite them having signed the sales and purchase agreements in 2001.

They lodged a total of 76 police reports at the Kuala Kubu Baru district police headquarters.

PSM activist S Arutchelvan said the former estate workers have raised their plight for over 15 years but this is the first time they had come together in an organised action to press for their cause.

"Lembah Beringin Sdn Bhd in 1994 bought over the land the estate workers were working on and issued an eviction notice.

"Then Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib (under BN) promised that they would get houses.

"In 2001, the estate workers signed the sales and purchase agreements for low-cost terrace houses for RM25,000 and paid a deposit of RM2,500. But the houses were never built," he said when contacted.

Lembah Beringin Sdn Bhd, which faced financial difficulties, wound up in 2006.

Arutchelvan said some 30 families have taken out housing loans for the promised houses and are now in debt with no property to show.

"Over the years, they have been promised by political parties during every general election that their problem will be solved but nothing has materialised," he said.

Political solution wanted

He expressed concern that due to the appreciation in the value of the land which remains to vacant to date, it may be used for other purposes.

If this happends, the former estate workers would never get their houses which would be worth much more today if they had been built as scheduled.

He said the group was not inclined to take legal action as they do not have the funds plus the fact that the company had gone bankrupt.

They are hoping for a political solution, he added.

"A few local councillors came to the police station to find out what was happening and we urged them not to allow any new development on the land until the former estate workers get their homes," he said.

Aurtchelvan added that ex-workers plight has also been raised with the Selangor government and its executive councillor V Ganabatirao is expected to meet them next week.