It’s do or die, MP warns Pengerang residents

Bakri member of parliament Er Teck Hwa has reminded Pengerang residents that they were faced with a situation unlike the ones in Gebeng, Kuantan and Bukit Koman, Raub.

Saying the two flashpoints of residents' protests against hazardous plants were not about land acquisition, Er (pic) said the coming September 30 rally was a final chance for Pengerang residents' voice to be heard.

“For outsiders, if a civil campaign fails, it can be reorganised and initialised again. On the contrary, for the Pengerang residents, they have only one chance,” Er told Harakahdaily in a statement.

"The Pengerang Refinery and Petrochemical Project is completely different. The land of the local residents will be taken back for this development project. While the residents are being forced to move out because land is taken away, the affected areas will be left empty. If the said areas are without tenants, how can the struggle be continued?" he asked.

Er said the Johor state government would commence the takeover of 6,000 acres of land during the sixth week following a briefing on the land acquisition. He further reminded residents that lands belonging to activists from Pengerang NGO Union, which has been spearheading the struggle to save Pengerang villages, would also be taken away.

"Although remaining members who are left behind can reorganize for further struggles, the situation they will face is they will confront a RAPID project area that is of 10 thousand acres, closely guarded by the security officers, and the place is full of bull-dosers and tractors," Er said, referring to the acronym for the Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development.

The state government plans to acquire some 8,094ha of land in Pengerang for the development of the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC), affecting 927 families. Residents have until today (September 14) to state their case on government compensation for their acquired land and properties.

Dialog, the company which forms part of the consortium involved in the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Pengerang, has earlier warned residents that Pengerang would "remain a fishing village for a thousand year to come” if the project was rejected.

-Harakahdaily