Kampung Hakka heats up: 8 SHOTS FIRED at developer's office in Mantin

SEREMBAN - Dissatisfaction over demolition of houses in Kampung Hakka, Mantin, near here is believed to be the reason behind shots being fired at a developer’s office on Tuesday night.

A company spokesperson said the door and glass windows of the office, located in Taman Bunga Raya near the village were cracked and shattered after eight shots were fired by an unknown individual at about midnight.

"We only realised the incident at about 9am today while opening the office roller shutter.

"We immediately called the police and checks found that eight bullet shells were scattered at the scene.

"A few people who lived nearby said they heard a shooting sound between 12am and 12.30am but thought it was made by firecrackers," he said.

The spokesperson said he believed the incident was linked to land acquisition issues involving Kampung Hakka, in which there might be parties who were not satisfied with the Seremban High Court order," he said when met here yesterday.

40 families

The 16 hectare Kampung Hakka is located on a government land and has 40 families occupying it. The land however was sold later to a private company to be developed as a residential area.

Following an order to move out in 2011, most residents accepted the compensation offered by the developer and moved elsewhere.

However, a few families took the matter to Court, which recently rejected their application as they failed to prove that they were living legally on the land.

Several opposition leaders, including Negri Sembilan opposition chief and Seremban MP Loke Siew Fook, and Rasah MP Teo Kok Seong were arrested last month for protesting when work to demolish homes at the village began.

Compensation ceremony

The company's spokesperson said the shots could have been aimed to sabotage the compensation handing over ceremony to the villagers, which was scheduled to be held at 10am today.

The ceremony was still held but done at a later time.

State Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Hamdan Majid said they found eight bullet shells at the scene.

He said the case was being investigated under section 39 of the FireArms Act 1960 and Section 506 of the penal code, discharging firearms in a public area and criminal intimidation. - NST