Broga project settled’ NST 17th Jan 2006

Broga project settled’
Jason Gerald KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17:

The Selangor Land and Mines Department has obtained a court order to proceed with land acquisition for the building of an access road to the incinerator project site in Broga.

Deputy director Othman Ismail said the department was going ahead with the land acquisition and compensation payment to residents.

"Everything is settled. The High Court rejected the interim stay order against the project in October. The land is being acquired under the Land Acquisition Act 1960, under the instruction of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

"The matter has been referred to the state legal adviser and everything is being done according to the law," he said today.

Othman was asked to comment on the claim by a group of Broga residents accusing the State of acquiring land for an incinerator plant before the project had been approved.

On Feb 15 last year, residents of Broga, in their battle to stop the construction of the billion-ringgit incinerator project, obtained an interim stay order against the project.

On Jan 20, Broga resident Lee Yoke Kim filed an application on behalf of the villagers for a stay order against the Selangor Menteri Besar, the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry, and the Selangor Land and Mines Department director, pending the outcome of the main suit.

The residents are seeking a court declaration ordering the Government to divulge details of the project.

Broga No-Incinerator Action Committee member Alice Lee said Othman may be unaware that the case was still pending in court.

The hearing date has been set on Feb 18. 

Lee said the High Court had still not heard the Government’s reply on the matter, especially on the project details. 

She said the committee planned to lodge a police report in Semenyih on Thursday.

Othman also said that of the 28 Broga residents who received offers of land acquisition, 14 had collected their cheques.

Residents received a letter dated Dec 28, asking them to collect cheques from the department.

The action committee was up in arms over the letters, a copy of which, signed by Othman on behalf of the director-general of the Selangor Land and Minerals Department, was obtained by the NST.