Bkt Jalil residents to meet PM’s special officer again

The former estate workers are not happy wih the lastest compensation offer from the government.

PUTRAJAYA: Former Bukit Jalil estate workers, who are in a tug-of-war with the government over the last two years, will meet Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s special officer Ravin Ponniah at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tomorrow in an effort to reach an amicable solution to their problem.

Bukit Jalil estate workers committee treasurer K Balakrishnan said this was conveyed to him when he and four other committee members delivered a memorandum to the PMO this morning.

It is learnt that Najib had offered a low-cost flat and an additional RM35,000 to each family of the former estate as compensation as the land they are staying has been earmarked for development. The offer was RM9,000 more than the previous offer by the government.

However, the estate committee representing 250 members from 41 families are not happy with the latest government offer.

“The fundamental issue here is not about money but the land which we have been staying for more than four generations,” Balakrishnan told reporters when met outside the PMO.

Also present to pledge their support were Sungai Siput MP Michael Jayakumar, Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran, Party Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arut Chelvan, Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy and members from Jerit, Hindraf and several other non-governmental organisations.

Balakrishnan said the committee had met the prime minister on July 10, 2012, to brief him about their predicament.

He said during the meeting, they had asked for four acres from the 1,800-acre land, which would be developed. The development includes a golf course, stadiums and luxury bungalows.

On Oct 2, the estate workers met Ravin and were informed that the government has agreed to increase their compensation from RM26,000 to RM35,000.

“We had a meeting on Oct 2, where all the 41 families disagreed with the government offer. As an alternative, the estate committee suggested that the government build 41 terrace houses in the existing land. Give us four acres or build 41 terrace houses for all the 41 families,” Balakrishnan said, adding that the former estate workers would not budge from their stand.

Meanwhile, Arutchelvan said the prime minister should reconsider the estate workers’ request for land or terrace houses.

“It would only cost the prime minister four minutes of his time to end out plight,” he added.