Group led by MIC swarm Selangor Exco building

They were protesting against the eviction of villagers from 30 homes in Kampung Seri Aman, Ijok, which they had been occupying for 50 years.

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SHAH ALAM: About 50 people, led by MIC Youth, swarmed the Selangor state assembly building today, demanding justice for villagers forcibly removed from their homes in Kampung Seri Aman, Ijok, Kuala Selangor, yesterday.

The group gathered at the Selangor Executive Council building about 2pm to pass a memorandum to Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali protesting the forced eviction.

However, they were not allowed access into the building.

Policemen were on standby to form a cordon to stop the group from forcing themselves into the building.

However, the group forced its way past the main door into the building. About 3.30pm, five representatives were allowed up to the MB’s office.

The MIC protesters were seen carrying banners and shouting “Pakatan penipu” (“Pakatan liars”) and demanded that Azmin come down and meet them.

MIC Youth Chief Sivaraajh Chandran, who led the group, said the villagers numbering about 150 were not given notice prior to the eviction.

“The evicted villagers were temporarily relocated to a plot of land near a river while the demolition of houses was going on.

“When it rained heavily, the water rose to knee level and we (MIC) had to find a public hall to temporarily place the villagers.

“Apart from the lack of prior notice, the villagers were also not given RM5,000 compensation as promised,” he told reporters.

Some of the villagers had called Kampung Seri Aman their home for the past 50 years and the majority of them were estate workers.

Three MIC leaders, namely K Parthiban, R Arivind and D Kajendran, were arrested while trying to stop the demolition process on Tuesday.

Some 30 houses and three temples were demolished. The villagers were evicted as the state government wants to develop an affordable housing project there.

However, the villagers claim the alternative plot given for relocation was not suitable.