The Klang magistrate court has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of five farmers detained for trespassing on Tuesday when tending their flock in a disputed four-hectare plot of land in Bukit Tinggi, Klang.

Magistrate Norlida Adam who presided over the case on Wednesday ordered the release, saying the five were brought to court by the police more than 24 hours after they were arrested.

The Criminal Procedure Code and the Federal Constitution state that those arrested must be brought before a magistrate within 24 hours of their arrest for further remand.

The police had sought a 10-day remand order so that they could investigate other claims against the five.

The farmers were said to have assaulted the representatives of the developer, Labur Bina, and also destroyed a vehicle belonging to the developer.

Labur Bina plans to build a new township in the area.

Police report

One of the five, A Thevindran, said he will lodge a police report against the developer soon.

He also denied the claims levelled against the five. Instead, he alleged that the developer had encroached into their land and attacked the residents there.

Meanwhile, the 17 people from the Bukit Tinggi plantation who were arrested last week for preventing the developer from entering their land, reported themselves at the Klang district police headquarters yesterday.

However, they were told that police are yet to complete their investigations and have not decided whether to charge them in court.

The project to develop the former oil palm plantation into a township began last year. However, negotiations between Labur Bina and the farmers failed to reach a conclusion.

The land was originally owned by Guthrie Plantations but was later sold to Gemilang Waras - which hired Labur Bina.

The farmers, who were originally plantation workers for Guthrie, claimed that developer did not have the right to evict them from the land where they have stayed for more than 70 years.