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The workers through the Selangor branch of the National Union of Plantation
Workers Union (NUPW) had taken up a case against the developer after their names were left out of the list of workers to be awarded free homes earlier.
<p>State Mines and Estate Workers Committee chairman Datuk K. Sivalingam said
these workers were dissatisfied with the developer for offering free homes to
another group of 37 workers who had defied the evacuation order issued by the
state government and refused to move out of the quarters. </p>
<p>Following protests by the affected workers, he said, the state conducted an
investigation into the “free-home” report and found that there was
truth in the claims made by NUPW and the former workers. </p>
<p>“The union took up the matter with the state government before we were
convinced they had a genuine case. Several meetings were then held between the
workers, NUPW, the developer and the former land owner. </p>
<p>“The state felt that it was unfair for these families to be left without
homes when they had cooperated with the government. So it was decided that the
37 families should be also given free homes,” he said </p>
<p>Sivalingam said the state ruled that both the developer and the former land
owner were responsible for the situation and therefore they would be made to
equally share the cost of the free homes. </p>
<p>“I’m happy to say that both the parties have agreed to share the cost
and I can assure the former workers that they will be receiving their keys to
the new homes soon," he added </p>
<p>Responding to the news, Selangor NUPW secretary V. Thamasegaran said: “I
feel that justice has been done to them who did not protest to the authorities’
evacuation order.”
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com