Kampung Gatco settlers today submitted a memorandum to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), claiming police inaction on complaints of continued initimidation by "thugs" allegedly employed by the land owner they are involved in a tussle with.

The settlers claimed that the thugs, wielding parangs, had shown up at their settlement on Monday night – the same day the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted a 60-day stay pending a hearing of their appeal at the Court of Appeal, scheduled on Sept 14.

The stay barred any tree cutting or clearing activity from being carried out on the land until the appeal is heard.

The settlers also allege that six days prior to the ruling, at least 20 men brandishing sticks and iron rods were sent to intimidate them.

A police report has since been lodged regarding the incident, but no action has been taken, the settlers said.

This has led them to believe that the police are working in cahoots with Thamarai Holdings Sdn Bhd, the legal owner of the land, whom they have taken to court over a land dispute.

The settlers were today accompanied by representatives from Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) to hand over the memorandum.

"We are very worried about the attitude of the Negeri Sembilan police, to conspire and side with Thamarai Holdings (sic) with the intention of helping the company steal rubber trees that belong to us.

"Although the case is still being tried in court, we are constantly disturbed, threatened, and arrested to make way for Thamarai Holdings to carry out their contested activities on the land, including removing the rubber trees," the memorandum read.

'Police action mind-boggling'

PSM central committee member S Arutchelvan said the situation was "mind-boggling".

"The police are supposed to be helping us, but it is clear they are taking sides.

"Previously, police officers from IPK (police headquarters) Negeri Sembilan came to Gatco village and started recording videos and taking pictures of the houses of some of the settlers.

"When they started enquiring, they were told that the police would use the material to charge them under Sosma and Poca," he told reporters at the EAIC headquarters in Putrajaya.

He was referring to Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, and the Prevention of Crime Act, both of which allow detention without trial.

Arutchelvan also branded the police as "inefficient," following the purported inaction on the report lodged against the latest harassment.

The memorandum was received by EAIC Corporate Communications Director Wahayu Abdul Sahab.

The settlers are part of the Great Alonioners Trading Corporation Bhd (Gatco).

The company was incorporated in 1977 by the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) to facilitate a land development scheme for NUPW members, in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.

A total of 430 families took part in the scheme, comprising 200 Indians, 120 Malays and 30 Chinese, forming Kampung Gatco or Kampung Serampang Indah.

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 failed.

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

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