Several residents got into a tangle with police today as they tried to prevent workers from counting the number of graves at a cemetery in Sungai Kapal, Pengerang, as part of preparations to relocate the graveyard.
According to Coalition of Pengerang NGOs vice-chairperson Sim Seng San, residents rushed to the graveyard after receiving word that five workers were counting the graves while being protected by some police officers at around 9am.
The graveyard is to be relocated to Sungai Rengit in March to make way for the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project.
When contacted byMalaysiakini, Sim claimed upon reaching the site, residents found the main road heading to the graveyard blocked by a police truck.
He claimed that more than 100 police personnel, comprising uniformed and plain clothes officers from the police special branch as well as general operations force were there protecting the workers as they worked.
Even so, he said several residents had managed to get into the graveyard before the road was entirely blocked while the other residents were later allowed in.
Residents, attempting to stop the workers from continuing their work, begun quarreling with police, resulting in a resident being temporarily handcuffed, although the man was released not long after.
“We urged them (police) to release the man immediately, and they did,” he said, adding that the workers finished their job at around 1pm.
Sim slammed the contractor for using authorities to help them carry out their work, despite the fact residents were filing a case against the Johor government to stop the relocation.
Police: Contractor claimed workers were threatened
Although dead set against the relocation of the graveyard, Sim said residents were nonetheless willing to allow the graveyard to be sealed during the construction of the petrochemical plant.
“You can allow us (residents) to enter the graveyard to worship once a year… This is the last stage that we can compromise on, but we are still unhappy with what the government is doing.
“Malaysia is a democratic country, why must you do this (relocate the graveyard)?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi district police chief Rahmat Othman explained the police presence this morning was due to the fact the contractor had lodged a police report.
“We had received a police report that the workers of the contractor were threatened.
“No matter who lodges the police report, we will help them ,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
Although he confirmed that a team of general operation force officers was deployed there, Rahmat refused to divulge the actual number police personnel sent.
According to Coalition of Pengerang NGOs vice-chairperson Sim Seng San, residents rushed to the graveyard after receiving word that five workers were counting the graves while being protected by some police officers at around 9am.
The graveyard is to be relocated to Sungai Rengit in March to make way for the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project.
When contacted byMalaysiakini, Sim claimed upon reaching the site, residents found the main road heading to the graveyard blocked by a police truck.He claimed that more than 100 police personnel, comprising uniformed and plain clothes officers from the police special branch as well as general operations force were there protecting the workers as they worked.
Even so, he said several residents had managed to get into the graveyard before the road was entirely blocked while the other residents were later allowed in.
Residents, attempting to stop the workers from continuing their work, begun quarreling with police, resulting in a resident being temporarily handcuffed, although the man was released not long after.
“We urged them (police) to release the man immediately, and they did,” he said, adding that the workers finished their job at around 1pm.
Sim slammed the contractor for using authorities to help them carry out their work, despite the fact residents were filing a case against the Johor government to stop the relocation.
Police: Contractor claimed workers were threatened
Although dead set against the relocation of the graveyard, Sim said residents were nonetheless willing to allow the graveyard to be sealed during the construction of the petrochemical plant.
“You can allow us (residents) to enter the graveyard to worship once a year… This is the last stage that we can compromise on, but we are still unhappy with what the government is doing.“Malaysia is a democratic country, why must you do this (relocate the graveyard)?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi district police chief Rahmat Othman explained the police presence this morning was due to the fact the contractor had lodged a police report.
“We had received a police report that the workers of the contractor were threatened.
“No matter who lodges the police report, we will help them ,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
Although he confirmed that a team of general operation force officers was deployed there, Rahmat refused to divulge the actual number police personnel sent.
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