Stop forced eviction of workers, PSM tells Malakoff

Estate workers at Malakoff-owned Windsor Estate have been given one week to vacate their quarters.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has criticised Malakoff Corporation for their forceful eviction of estate workers at a plantation in Kamunting, Perak.

PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan said the workers took their plight to his party after two eviction notices were sent by the energy company – on July 28 and Aug 12 – asking them to vacate their workers quarters at the Windsor Estate tomorrow (Aug 19).

“The workers were informed that tomorrow, Aug 19, the management would disconnect water and electricity supply to their houses and carry out forced eviction.

“PSM condemns Malakoff’s irresponsible and shameful act and demands that they immediately cease all intentions to evict the workers forcefully,” he said.

According to Sivarajan, the workers claimed that they were being forced out for bringing up the issue of the House Ownership Scheme, a policy implemented by the government since the 1970s, with the company last December.

“The workers had sent their latest request on Dec 31 last year to the independent power producer, calling for a meeting to discuss a housing scheme project but Malakoff refused to respond.

“Instead, the company issued the two notices, the latest giving the workers one week to vacate their quarters,” he said, adding that these estate workers had worked at the plantation for nearly three generations and had tried to negotiate a housing scheme for many years.

Sivarajan called for the company to cease the eviction threat with the cutting of power and water, and instead engage with the affected workers on the house ownership scheme.

“Why does the energy giant need to deny its own estate workers their basic right to power and water?”

Sivarajan appealed to the Human Resources Ministry to intervene in the matter.

The Estate Workers Housing Scheme was introduced by the government in 1973 to help estate workers so that they will have a roof over their head when they retire and leave their workers quarters.

According to PSM, only a handful of plantation owners implemented the scheme. - FMT