After waiting for almost 27 years to acquire their land titles in Kampung Sri Tanjung, Dengkil, the affected 68 families today took their grouses straight to the office of Selangor menteri besar.

They came with a memorandum with the hope that Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali's administration would take immediate action.

The settlers were concerned that the aforementioned 12-acre land, which had already been allocated as commercial crop land by the Selangor government in 1988, would now be used for other developments.

“Our families were allowed to settle and sow crops in the land, but until today, we have yet to receive the land titles as agreed upon,” said the group’s spokesperson K Vivekanathan.

Carrying placards, this group of approximately 90 people were accompanied by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) central committee member S Arutchelvan.

Among the messages seen on the placards were “Do not politicise our lands” and “MB please take action”.

Arutchelvan later joined Vivekanathan in handing over the memorandum to Azmin's political secretary Shuhamie Shafiei.

When asked to comment on the memorandum, Shuhamie said the current state government has been trying to solve this issue since receiving a letter from the settlers in January 2016.

“The Selangor government is currently working with land authorities to resolve Kampung Sri Tanjung’s issue.

“However, the process takes time as it involves land issues. I will hand this memorandum to the menteri besar and we will study it and take further action,” he added.

It all began in 1988, when Kampung Sri Tanjung was involved in a commercial crop project initiated by the Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs (MAYC). The project was endorsed by then Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhd Taib and his state excos.

Over the years, the settlers continued to petition for their land titles by meeting state government authorities as well as Muhammad’s successor, Mohd Khir Toyo.

In 2008, 48 frustrated settlers filed a suit at the Shah Alam High Court, but the court threw the case out as the allocated lands were apparently classified as Malay heritage.

Having unknowingly settled on Malay heritage land for years, the settlers dropped all legal proceedings and initiated fresh discussion with the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which had just formed the Selangor government.

The newly formed state administration under then menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim had agreed to allocate 68 new plots of non-Malay heritage lands for the settlers.

The settlers’ wait continues.