The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) organized a vigil and protest on Thursday, November 13 at the local police station in Klang Selatan against the arrest of its leaders, activists, and residents of Kampung Papan for opposing the illegal demolition of houses in the area.
Several leaders and activists of PSM, along with residents of Kampung Papan, were arrested by security forces on Wednesday and Thursday, after they resisted the illegal demolition of houses in the area.
The arrested leaders and activists of PSM include its deputy chairman S Arutchelvan, its secretary general M Shivaranjini, and its honorary treasurer Soh Sook Hwa. Seven other party activists and some residents have also been arrested.
The arrests were made under Section 186 of the Malaysian Penal Code for obstructing public servants from carrying out their duties. They have been kept at Klang Selatan police headquarters since their arrest.
The activists and residents “were present to defend the houses of the residents of Kampung Jalan Papan from being demolished” when they were detained by the police, Bhawani KS, deputy secretary of the PSM, said in a statement on Thursday.
Arutchelvan had told the media that himself, the resident’s representative M Longeswaran, and activist M Mythreyar were arrested after they tried to stop the demolition, realizing residents were still inside and the houses were not fully vacated.
The activists claimed that the arrests were unnecessary as they were merely trying to implement the government order which says that only vacant houses should be demolished.
Over 50 organizations, including PSM, issued a joint statement condemning the arrests and demanding the immediate release of the activists.
Charles Santiago, former MP from Klang, issued a statement on his X page expressing solidarity with the activists arrested and demanding the immediate halt of the demolition. He also condemned the “deployment of force against ordinary Malaysians demanding accountability and fair treatment.”
Stop forced demolitions
In November 2024, a court in Malaysia accepted a private developer, Melati Ehsan’s, claims over the land, dismissing the petition filed by the local residents who had lived in the area for generations. The company has been carrying out demolitions in the region since then.
In October, the state government, through a public statement, had promised to halt the demolition of houses which are not vacated by the residents.
Earlier this month, PSM and other organizations had appealed to the state to halt the demolition until alternative arrangements were made, as without such an arrangement over a hundred families would become homeless.
However, the company resumed the demolition of all houses in the region on November 10, in complete violation of earlier promises and state assurances.
The PSM and other organizations also called the forceful demolition of houses in the region illegal and demanded they be halted immediately. They claimed that the demolitions being carried out contradict the earlier assurances given by the government to the residents of the locality.
The forced evictions are being carried out by the police in a biased and illegal manner to assist the private developers and “this action clearly reflects an abuse of power and is contrary to the principles of social justice,” the PSM statement said.
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The PSM demands the immediate and unconditional release of all detained activists, “an immediate halt to all demolition work in Kampung Jalan Papan and an assurance that no forced evictions will be carried out until residents have been provided with fair and reasonable alternative accommodation” the statement says.
Thursday’s call for a protest and vigil by PSM is also supported by other organizations. The people gathered at the Klang police station to press for the immediate release of those arrested and an end to the demolition of houses.
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