Perak farmers fiasco: Court orders release of farmers, PSM activists

Perak farmers fiasco: Court orders release of farmers, PSM activists




THE Ipoh Magistrate Court had ordered the police to release all Chempor Impian farmers and the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists today.

“While activists M Agastin, V Kesavan, S Nagenteran and M Kavita were released immediately, farmers Liew Kok Soon, Liew Yu Lim, Liew Yu Ming and Liew Yu Tsong will be released at 5pm later.

“We would like to thank all those who came forward to support the farmers and PSM. It was due to your hard work that all eight are getting released today.



“Utmost appreciation to our team of lawyers who had come forth to defend them on a pro bono basis,” said Gabungan Marhaen secretariat E Nalini.

Yesterday, the eight individuals were arrested by the police for allegedly trying to prevent the eviction of farmers in Chepor Impian, Perak.

The PSM activists and the four farmers were detained by the police while trying to prevent the eviction of the eight farmers and were taken to the Ipoh police headquarters.

It was said that the small-time farmers have been cultivating on the land for nearly four decades, when it was still owned by the state government.

However, the land was sold to a private developer some time back. It was also claimed that the developer did not bring a court order to evict the farmers’ eviction.




Report lodged against Ipoh OCPD

On related matter, PSM and Suaram lodged a police report against Ipoh district police chief Yahaya Hassan and several officers under his command for allegedly working in cahoots with developer, Eadepro Development Sd Bhd, to trespass into the farmers land without court order.

In a letter addressed to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) director Datuk Azri Ahmad, party secretary-general A Sivarajan queried on why Yahaya’s team was siding the developer when their task was to maintain law and order.

“It’s puzzling that the OCPD and his team were helping the developer when the latter did not have a court order to evict the farmers. It looked like they were trying to intimidate the farmers so as to prevent the latter from questioning the developer’s moves.

“The Ipoh police’s action contradicts Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, who denied the police was involved in the illegal eviction. In fact, the latter’s statement clearly undermines all the police reports made by the farmers in the past as if threats and the eviction process didn’t not happen,” he said.

Sivarajan then reminded the police that forced eviction was against the United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement, which Malaysia ratified in 1991.

“And such action also contravenes Article 5 of the Federal Constitution which clearly states that no one can be deprived of life or personal liberty except in accordance with law,” he quipped. – April 14, 2022