Thirty villagers from Kampung Gatco, Negeri Sembilan, have been arrested for blocking a lorry from removing rubber logs from what they claim is their estate.

They were later released on police bail, but will need to report themselves on Aug 1.

The arrest of 16 women and 14 men at around 2.30pm today was confirmed by Air Hitam police station personnel.

“The lorry which was carrying a load of rubber logs was blocked (by the villagers) from passing through the government reserve land.

"The road was only about 40 metres wide,” said investigating officer Norzlan Mohd Noor when contacted.

He also confirmed that they were arrested under Section 339 of the Penal Code.

The section states that "whoever voluntarily obstructs any person, so as to prevent that person from proceeding in any direction in which that person has a right to proceed, is said wrongfully to restrain that person" and one can be imprisoned for not more than one month or fined RM1,000, or both if found guilty.

Released on RM1,000 police bail

Six hours later, all 30 of them were released on RM1,000 police bail, said Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) Seremban chairperson R Vijay Gandi, who often represents the Kampung Gatco villagers.

However, bail has been extended by another eight days to Aug 1, upon which all villagers will need to present themselves at the Air Hitam police station at 5am.

“There are three possibilities - either they will be charged in court, remanded or bail will be extended again,” said Vijay.

Malaysiakini has sighted the bail sheet.

Last Tuesday, 28 people from the same village were arrested on the same charge. They were released three days later when the Seremban High Court overturned the police's remand order for them.

Some previously arrested were also rearrested this time around, added Vijay.

Both incidents are latest episodes of a protracted struggle between the villagers and Thamarai Holdings Sdn Bhd over the land Kampung Gatco sits on.

The disputed land, approximately 4,700 acres in size, was leased to Gatco in 1977 by the Negri Sembilan State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

Gatco was incorporated by the National Union of Plantation Workers for the purpose of a land development scheme for its members.

The current settlers had paid RM7,600 each as a deposit to settle on allocated plots of the land as part of the development scheme.

However, the scheme eventually failed and the land was charged to two financial institutions.

Gatco eventually wound up but its liquidators sold the land to Thamarai Holdings Sdn Bhd in 2006, triggering the tussle.