http://dapmalaysia.org  

MCA MP Yap Pian Hon again fails to safeguard the interest of his voters in Sg Chuah affected by the SILK project   Press Statement by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew (Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): DAP opines that Sg Chuah residents affected by the SILK (Kajang Outer Ring Road) project deserve rightful compensation from the Government. But this is not the case as far as Yap Pian Hon and his colleagues in MCA are concerned. Yap raised in a few questions on SILK in the Parliament last week. But none of his questions were concerned about the rightful compensation for the effected families. It was DAP Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai who stood up for them, questioning Works Minister Datuk Samy Vellu on the rightful compensation for the local residents. Yap and his colleagues in MCA were entrusted to help the affected families ever since they were told about the SILK project. Four years have passed but Yap and MCA have done next to nothing to help. The residents now turned to the DAP for help. DAP Selangor have brought the Sg Chuah Residents Action Committee to the Ministry of Works soon after we were approached for help. In his reply to Tan in the Parliament, Samy Vellu has said that he needs another week to get back to the residents on the issue of compensation. I have also written a letter on the matter to the Selangor MB and followed with a call on in May. He has yet to respond to me or the residents on questions concerning the rightful compensation and the extension of leasehold title. Majority of the affected landowners has applied for the extension long before the expiry dates. None of them should be penalised for the shortcoming of the land office. Samy also disclosed in his reply that the Government is footing as much as RM400 million to help build SILK. Another RM1 billion comes from the concessionaire Sunway Group. A question needs to be asked here is why should the Government pay for a privatised "money-spinning"project such as SILK? According to a very reliable source, no less than 3 toll plazas would be set up for the collection of tolls upon completion of the project. The road users are still kept in the dark as to how much they have to pay each time they need to use the road. SILK is scheduled to complete by April 2004. Some of the affected residents have just received the order of eviction. They were only given 21 days to move out, but none of the promises and "dangling carrots" made by the MCA elected representatives has materialised. For instance, residents who were promised to get a plot of land to build their new home have yet to receive anything in black and white. Or was it just a ploy to prevent the residents from taking legal actions? MCA Balakong Assemblyman Datuk Hor Hee Lee has threatened the residents publicly that they may face difficulties if they bring the matter to court (See attached China Press report). Hor Hee Lee should be helping the residents to get rightful compensation, instead of making such irresponsible threats! What kind of State Assemblyman he is? The MB of Selangor should tell us whether he condones such talk. It's time for the Sg Chuah people to stand up for their rights. If the Federal and State Governments refuse to help, they should unite together to take action collectively to protect their rights and interest, both politically and legally. (25/6/2003) * Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP national publicity secretary