_______________
Media Comment
by Ronnie Liu
__________________

(Petaling Jaya, Sunday) :  More than 800 residents gathered at the peaceful protest organised by the Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Action Committee(BMC-OARAC) today to say no the barricade and also to the toll hikes.

DAP sent its high-level delegation to lend support to the residents.They were 4 MPs from Kuala Lumpur (Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Fong Kui Lun, Tan Kok Wai, Teresa Kok) and 2 State assemblymen from Selangor (Teng Chang Khim and Ng Suee Lim), the Selangor Chiarman Ong Chee Keng and his committee members and leaders from DAP FT. DAP Veteran Club President Lau Dak Kee, former Kajang State Assemblyman Dr Abu Bakar of PAS and former Kajang candidate Lee Cheng Jin of Keadilan and some of their members were also there to give their support and solidarity to the residents. There is no sign of any leaders or members from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC at the demonstration(any surprise?).

Tan Boon Wah, the Chairman of BMC-OARAC reiterated his strong objections to the barricade and the toll hikes before passing the microphone to DAP leaders. They each gave a short speech to express their undivided support to the residents.

In my speech, I expressed my great disappointment with the Umno-led BN Government for dragging their feet on the matter. We urge the Government to open the access road first and then holding all-party meetings (between Malaysian Highway Authority(Government), The Lion Group(Developer) ,Grand Saga (Toll Company) and BMC-OARAC (Residents) to resolve the problem. They must not victimise the residents any longer.

I also highlighted the fact that the action commitee has brought the matter to the Parliament, the Minister of Works S. Samy Vellu, MPKj, LLM, The Lion Gropu and Grand Saga. Even the Prime Minister Department has received our memorandum. There's no more reasons for the Government to drag their feet on the matter.

The RM12 million access road wasbuilt by the developer with the approval from the LLM. It was blocked by Grand Saga "illegally". There is dispute betwen Grand saga and The Lion Group on the question of compensation. Grand Saga is certainly an Umno-related company. But that does not mean that they can do what they want (like blocking the access illegally) without considering the interest of the rakyat. I said Grand Saga has done so illegally because they could not produce any document proof to show that they have the right to block the access during my last meeting with its director Zainal Abidin.

Before the gathering was wrapped up, the committee and the police reached a compromise by allowing the bulldozer to knock a big hole right in front of the barricade(instead of pulling down the barricade) as a symbolic protest. The police was led by the new OCPD of Kajang DSP Rosli.

The crowd has agree to come back on 31 Dec 2006 to stage a protest at the 11th mile Grand Saga toll plaza at 10am. The protest will be joined by concerned citizens and representatatives from all opposition parties and NGOs.

(17/12/2006)