The basic needs of victims of the recent Petaling Jaya Selatan racial clashes are yet to be met despite promises from government officials, said a group of concerned individuals today.

S Nagarajan, spokesperson for the group, told malaysiakini that several families who had their members seriously injured have not been able to go for medical treatment due to financial problems.

"These are people from the low-income group. Being injured, they have lost their jobs. They need taxi fares to go to the hospital, they also need to be accompanied by a family member," he said.

The informal group, which comprise of about 10 professionals, intellectuals and social activists as their core members, has been involved in bringing relief to the victim's families since the racial clashes occurred three months ago.

Last Saturday, the group organised a tour for Rotary Club members to visit some of the victims. Led by its president K Narayanan and president-elect S Kulasegaran, the club gave RM3,000 to five families.

The Petaling Selatan clashes - mostly between Malays and Indians - which began on March 9 and lasted for about a week, claimed six lives and left scores of people injured. About 300 people, mostly youth, were arrested by the police.

The clashes were reported to have started from two incidents - one in Kampung Semarak, Taman Medan involving a wedding and a funeral, and another in Taman Desaria flats involving the smashing of a windscreen by a catapult.

However, the persons involved in the incidents later clarified that they had nothing to do with starting the communal clashes.

The neighbourhood where the skirmishes occurred - which include Taman Datuk Harun, Kampung Lindungan, Kampung Medan, Taman Medan, Kampung Penaga, Kampung Ghandi and Kampung Muniandy - is populated by Malays, Indians, and Indonesian and Bangladeshi migrants, and comprises long houses, low-cost flats, terrace houses and wooden squatter houses.

No follow up action

The majority of the residents are from the lower income group, most being factory workers, mechanics and small-time businessmen.

While the violence has since been brought under control, police are still monitoring the area with road blocks erected at several locations in at least six kampungs.

Nagarajan said according to the group's assessment, the victims have only received a RM200 relief from the Welfare Department.

He said he had visited some facilities and found them living in squatter houses with not even basic facilities.

Since the clashes many government bodies and political parties, including the opposition, have been visiting the area to offer assistance.

The government planned to offer housing units to families of victims but the latter complained that they have so far being asked only to fill up applications forms.