“We want 4 acres land and a meeting with Inch Kenneth Kajang as soon as possible to resolve this issue which is 20 years old”
These are the demands by the former Kajang Estate Workers who are mostly in their late 60s and 70s put forward to YB Dr. Xavier Jeyakumar, Selangor State Exco for Health, Estates Workers, Poverty and Caring Government.
On 13th May 2008 , former Kajang Estate Workers, mostly women together with PSM's Secretary General, S.Arutchelvan and Plantation Worker’s Support Committee Coordinator Nalini M and Ramalingam had a meeting with Dr. Xavier Jayakumar to highlight the 20 years of unsolved land issue of the Kajang Estate Workers.
The Kajang Estate workers were given termination notice in 1985 by Inch Kenneth Kajang Rubber Pvt Ltd. They were told to vacate their estate homes which they have been staying for three generation. The workers refused to move out without being compensated properly. Due to their resistance, finally the estate owners were forced to negotiate with the workers. After two years of intensive negotiation during which their water and electricity supply was disrupted forcefully to evict them. Finally a deal was clinched in 1987 whereby the workers are to be given a total of 4 acres of land to be shared by 32 families. As part of the deal, the workers must pay 10% of the land price, which is RM 250 each, and upon paying, they should vacate the houses , then only the land would be given to them. The workers paid the required 10 % and vacated the estate quarters but the Promised Land remain as promise only till today.
In the past 20 year’s, the workers had taken many, many steps to get the promised land, such as sending many many memorandums to Inch Kenneth , the state government , had protests in front of Inch Kenneth and also at the Selangor State Government office. They also sent memorandums to the former state assemblymen of Semenyih , Dato’ Ahmad kuris and made police reports against the company and also put a caveat on the land but there was never a positive response. Till today, there is no solution at sight but the saddest thing is several former workers have already died and much more are getting older . The workers will always mention that, before they die , they must get their land as promised. During the meeting on the 13th May 2008, Dr.Xavier Jeyakumar promised to arrange a meeting between Inch Kenneth Kajang and the former workers soonest in 2 weeks time. He also promised that he will write to the Hulu Langat Land Office to get the latest status of the particular land before acting further.
These are the demands by the former Kajang Estate Workers who are mostly in their late 60s and 70s put forward to YB Dr. Xavier Jeyakumar, Selangor State Exco for Health, Estates Workers, Poverty and Caring Government.
On 13th May 2008 , former Kajang Estate Workers, mostly women together with PSM's Secretary General, S.Arutchelvan and Plantation Worker’s Support Committee Coordinator Nalini M and Ramalingam had a meeting with Dr. Xavier Jayakumar to highlight the 20 years of unsolved land issue of the Kajang Estate Workers.
The Kajang Estate workers were given termination notice in 1985 by Inch Kenneth Kajang Rubber Pvt Ltd. They were told to vacate their estate homes which they have been staying for three generation. The workers refused to move out without being compensated properly. Due to their resistance, finally the estate owners were forced to negotiate with the workers. After two years of intensive negotiation during which their water and electricity supply was disrupted forcefully to evict them. Finally a deal was clinched in 1987 whereby the workers are to be given a total of 4 acres of land to be shared by 32 families. As part of the deal, the workers must pay 10% of the land price, which is RM 250 each, and upon paying, they should vacate the houses , then only the land would be given to them. The workers paid the required 10 % and vacated the estate quarters but the Promised Land remain as promise only till today.
In the past 20 year’s, the workers had taken many, many steps to get the promised land, such as sending many many memorandums to Inch Kenneth , the state government , had protests in front of Inch Kenneth and also at the Selangor State Government office. They also sent memorandums to the former state assemblymen of Semenyih , Dato’ Ahmad kuris and made police reports against the company and also put a caveat on the land but there was never a positive response. Till today, there is no solution at sight but the saddest thing is several former workers have already died and much more are getting older . The workers will always mention that, before they die , they must get their land as promised. During the meeting on the 13th May 2008, Dr.Xavier Jeyakumar promised to arrange a meeting between Inch Kenneth Kajang and the former workers soonest in 2 weeks time. He also promised that he will write to the Hulu Langat Land Office to get the latest status of the particular land before acting further.
After twenty years of waiting, the Kajang Estate workers issue is finally being looked into by the newly appointed Selangor State Exco from Pakatan Rakyat. This initiative itself has given hope to these elderly former workers who want nothing more or nothing less but what is rightfully theirs that is the land promised as compensation for their 3 generation of toiling in the estate.
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