Bolehland

Although I do not know him personally, I’m posting this partly due to the fact that Lee Huat Seng is a former student here at USM.

This morning, he and a eight other NGO activists got arrested after going to the help of Kampung Berembang villagers whose homes were about to be demolished by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, with the help of RELA and the police. Visit bangkit.net for the break.

UPDATE: At least 13 more people have been arrested. Two that I recognise are Suaram’s Chang Lih Kang (he once gave me directions to a Chinese school in SS17) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s protem sec-gen S. Arutchelvan (I once listened to him talk to a bunch of Malaysiakini trainees on labour issues).

UPDATE: All (20-30 more) houses have been demolished after the second round of arrest.

Confirmation: All 60 odd houses have been destroyed. More pictures from JERIT.  Also, the arrested 23 have all been released on bail.

Excerpts from a Malaysiakini report:

Nine social activists were detained by the police this morning after a brutal confrontation involving residents of Kampung Berembang in Ampang and enforcement officers from a local authority.

The officers from Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), together with Rela members and the police, had gone to the village to demolish some 50 houses. The Malay village, with 470 residents is located less than 10km from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

However, they ran into stiff opposition mounted by residents backed by members of the non-governmental organisation Jerit and pro-tem political party Parti Sosialis Malaysia.

A stand-off ensued between the demolition squad and the villagers, which resulted in an open clash. Police moved in and arrested the nine activists for prohibiting the demolition of the houses.

Four houses were demolished but following a tense situation in the village, the operation was called off.

An updated version described this:

Four houses were demolished but following a tense situation in the village, the operation was called off.

Then after some time, the MPAJ officials tried to demolish the houses again and this time another 14 social activists were arrested for trying to stop the demolition.

MPAJ then proceeded to demolish the houses.

Find more on bangkit.net and as a show of support, email or call the following people with your protest. A prepared protest letter here. Act now.

OCPD: ACP Amer Awan
IPD Ampang Jaya
Tel: 03-4252 2222
YDP Haji Mohammad bin Yacob
Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya
E-mail: hotline@mpaj.gov.my

YB DATO RAMLI MAHMOOD
Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor,
E-mel : ramli@selangor.gov.my

Y.A.B. DATO’ SERI DR MOHAMAD KHIR BIN TOYO
Menteri Besar Selangor
E-mel : khir@selangor.gov.my

Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting
Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan
E-mail: menteri@kpkt.gov.my

Tan Sri Abu Talib bin Othman
Chairman
Malaysian Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
Email: humanrights@suhakam.org.my

Selangor, pressured by their developed status declaration, is vigorously implementing a “Zero-Squatters” policy, which translates into getting tough with the urban poor like those in Kampung Berembang. Problem is, these people have no where to go, and new houses they are supposed to move in to will only be ready in 5 months.

Why were eviction notices handed out before their new homes were completed?

Even if the 50 families had no right on that piece of land, they have been there for 30 years, MPAJ shouldn’t have to resort to this kind of inhumane measures. We recently had one Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros build a mansion without permit and all he did was to cry and beg for forgiveness. Selangor MB Dr Khir Toyo said the mansion will not be torn down as it would be unfair when there were many others who did not follow procedure too.

Show some compassion to the urban poor too, five months is all the developer has to wait, why cause such haste? Also, the police and RELA have no part in siding with the developer, NGOs have a duty to protect the rights of our citizens, there is no legitimate reason in arresting them.

Khir Toyo recently said everyone in Selangor will benefit from its Barisan leadership. Who’s marginalising the Bumiputera poor now?