26 farming families evicted and their crops destroyed - The Star

KLUANG: April 24, 2008 By MEERA VIJAYAN

Twenty-six farming families had their crops and livelihood destroyed when they were forcefully evicted from the land they had temporarily occupied for the past 40 years.

The land, measuring 18ha along Batu 9, Jalan Mersing, was cleared yesterday for a housing project to cater to the needs of flood victims from Kampung Seri Cahaya.

Kampung Gajah village headman Leow Sek Hock said the farmers faced an estimated loss of at least RM100,000 and the crops destroyed included banana, papaya, cucumber, vegetables and sugarcane.

“We tried to negotiate with them, but the authorities were arrogant and refused to listen. They destroyed everything, including our water pipes and fertilisers using back hoes,” he said, referring to officers from the Drainage and Irrigation Department and Forestry Department who were accompanied by police who came at around 9am yesterday.


Crushed livelihood: Some of the crops destroyed in Kampung Gajah, Kluang, when the authorities levelled land to make way for a housing project.

According to Leow, a signboard was erected at the beginning of the year, saying the land would be used to build 60 houses, seven shop lots, a surau and a TNB sub-station.

When the matter was brought up before the election, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had said the matter would be discussed after the election.

“However, three weeks ago, the Forestry Department officials came and pasted notices saying that we had to give up the land in two weeks or pay a RM10,000 fine for trespassing,” he said.

When contacted, Paloh state assemblyman Hoo Seong Chang said he would be meeting with the farmers today to discuss their problems.