The present offer package from DBKL includes:
cash compensation for estate residents,
retaining the temple and cemetary but on 'reserve land',
relocate the Tamil school to another location, and
low-cost flats, either for purchase or rental
Following a visit by DBKL officials to the estate today, Bukit Jalil estate action committee secretary S Thiakarajan said the residents will not be accepting the compensation package from the city hall.
“We will not be accepting the compensation unless they agree to provide low-cost terrace houses and not low-cost flats for us,” he said.
“Plus, we want land titles for the temple and cemetary, not reserve status, as the authorities can change their minds any time,” he added.
He also said the residents were unhappy with the new Tamil school as it only has 10 classrooms while the old one has 15 classrooms.“It also has no playing field. Where are the children to play? On the roof?” he asked.
Verification process
Earlier today DBKL officials, led by deputy director-general of services Mohd Nordin Abd Aziz, and four Labour Department officials, visited the former estate to verify the status of eight families who claimed that they were entitled to be compensated as well.
These eight families have been left out of the original list after they were termed as squatters and not families of estate workers.“Today we did a final verification of the disputed families. All they have to do is provide their EPF and Socso statements. If they are the next of kins of the estate workers, they have to provide evidence that they are related to them,”said Nordin.
On Oct 20, DBKL issued eviction notices to these eight out of 41 families living in the estate, claiming they were squatters.The residents then submitted a memorandum to the city hall on Oct 29 claiming that they were descendents of the former estate workers and therefore had the right to occupy the land.KL mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail met the committee members on Nov 16 and agreed to retract the eviction notices provided they were able to provide the necessary evidence to prove their claims.
DBKL's offer
Speaking on the compensation package for the residents, Nordin said he also brought cheques for the estate workers who had yet to claim them.“I would also like to state that the temple (Sri Maha Mariamman Temple) and the Hindu cemetary will be retained at its current location as reserve lands.
“As for the school (SKJT Ladang Bukit), it will remain at the current location as well until the new school is completed,”said Nordin. He also expressed hope that the residents will take up the offer in order to end the ongoing dispute as soon possible.“Plus, we have offered to sell PPR flat units nearby to the 41 families for RM30,000. For those who cannot purchase the flats, they can rent the place for as long as they want.
“We will also provide RM1,000 for their utility deposit and provide vehicles for them to move their belongings there,”said Nordin.
37 more families
Meanwhile, Hindraf Makkal Sakthi national coordinator K Balakrishnan said that an additional 37 families who had moved out from the estate land also turned up today in order to get their compensation.
“However, the Labour Department officers said they were not authorised to handle the matter today.
“Therefore they have asked the estate action committee to collect their details for further action,”said Balakrishnan who was also an estate resident there. The estate committee will submit the details of the 37 families to the Human Resources Ministry by Dec 26.
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/14424-bukit-jalil-residents-want-a-better-package-from-dbkl
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