‘Village chief confiscated my land’

A senior citizen in Ipoh is crying foul after her land was allegedly taken away by the village head

JELAPANG : Sixty-two-year-old Roselind Santana is crying foul after a piece of land owned by her in Jelapang New Village in Ipoh was allegedly confiscated by a village chief – known only as “Moses” – by force.

Speaking to FMT today, the woman said her family was originally staying as squatters in Silibin but in 1968 the state government took the land back for development purposes. All the residents were relocated to Jelapang.

“The state government gave us land measuring 500 sq ft for free. After my mother’s death, my four brothers agreed to give the land to me. This is the start of my problems. I have tried repeatedly to get the land grant from the Land Office but until today I have nothing,” she said amid sobs.

Then in 2007, Roselind claimed, Moses with three “Malay” men came to her house and forced her to sign a document.

“He told me to sign the document if I wanted the land grant,” she said.

“I do not know what the contents of the document was all about. I signed it out of fear. But later after checking, I found out that my present land now belongs to Moses. Almost every week I went to his house and begged him to give back the site. However, he refused,” she said, relating her ordeal.

Roselind is a widow without children and lives with a younger brother in the disputed property.

She has yet to make a police report on the matter, because “I am scared of the village chief’s power”.

She is now asking assistance from relevant parties, including the state government and political parties, to help her end her problem. - FMT