Power corrupts PR ? -... now closing factories..seizing land....

2 "illegal" factories closed down immediately. Land to be taken back because breach of the land usage conditions. -- I would have expected it from some BN-run state government, but not from Pakatan Rakyat Selangor Government - worse still, the Sinar Harian report tells us that this was the announcement by one Elizabeth Wong ( a former human rights activist and advocate..).

How sad it is that people seem to change so fast? What's that saying about power and corruption?? [ I am basing it just on a newspaper report, which we all know may sometimes not be accurate)

Let me state the concerns I have about that report.

1) The order is for closing down of that factories IMMEDIATELY lacks compassion - what about the workers? What about the family and the dependent's of these workers - who may now not even get their July wages - or be able to find work very soon. How manly workers will be affected? Did the state government consider this matter at all? (warnings may have been given - summons may have been issued - but really, is there no other options that could be resorted to...note only 4 months since PR started to govern)

2) From the report, it seems that the 2 were registered companies - so maybe their factory was build on land that was not for factories (maybe because it was land that they owned and maybe 'economics' made it not feasible to pay additional money and rent a factory lot in some industrial estate some kilometers away ...). Maybe, it was a small 'factory' when it started doing some small little business ....and it expanded.

3) The report says that it was causing environmental pollution - was time given at all for them to overcome their 'environmental' problems -- or maybe they were just 2 small factories owned by not very influential persons....mmm

4) The shocking thing about the announcement reported in Sinar Harian was the "immediate" closure... surely time could have been given for the factory to re-locate, if it is so required. Surely, time should have been given for the factory workers to find new employment... Immediate closure -- it sounds so BN, so inhumane..

5) Then, the announcement that the land will be taken back because of the breach of the usage conditions -- is it not too draconian. Many people build their homes on "agriculture land" - So, is Pakatan Rakyat going to be concerned with the LAW and go HARD against all them who break the law? Come on... be human ...be different ...be compassionate ... Talk about warnings, penalties - but definitely not taking away the land from the smaller owners.

6) So, what is the message that Pakatan Rakyat is giving us -- obey the law?

I say, they are changing and a few of us must vigilantly serve as a "check and balance" to ensure that they do not transform into what they sought to replace in government...

Animal Farm by George Orwell comes to mind ...... and soon I believe, we will be seeing Pakatan Rakyat demolishing 'squatters' (urban settlers, being the better word) and refugee settlements because they were not build according to law. All their houses and contents may also be confiscated as well....And maybe, those land owners who allowed them to build their homes on their land will find Pakatan Rakyat Selangor taking back the land because there was a breach of land usage conditions....Beware too all of you who made extensions without approvals/permits...

If you do want to take back land - then you must take back the land that State government once gave to them Plantation Companies like Guthrie for a few dollars - which now these plantation companies are selling at about RM300,000 per acre - pure profit...but alas the workers are just pushed out homeless...Government given land to plantations should be taken back when they want to cease operations and/or convert and sell it...

Operasi dua kilang haram akan ditutup serta-merta: Elizabeth

SHAH ALAM - Dua kilang yang beroperasi secara haram di negeri ini akan ditutup serta-merta, kata Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap, Pelancongan, Hal Ehwal Pengguna dan Alam Sekitar, Elizabeth Wong.

Beliau berkata berkata, selain beroperasi secara haram, kilang berkenaan juga dilaporkan menjadi punca pencemaran di kawasan berkenaan.

“Keputusan ini dibuat berdasarkan laporan Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) Selangor mengenai pencemaran yang dibuat oleh kilang terbabit,” katanya kepada sidang media selepas menghadiri Mesyuarat Mingguan Exco, di sini, semalam.

Menurut beliau, dua kilang tersebut iaitu Warisan Naning Distribution Sdn Bhd di Kuala Langat dan Rigid Metal Tech Sdn Bhd di Rantau Panjang, Klang didapati menjalankan operasi tanpa lesen.

“Kedua-duanya beroperasi secara haram serta mencemarkan alam sekitar serta menjejaskan kehidupan masyarakat sekeliling,” ujarnya.

Katanya, penutupan tersebut dibuat kerana pemiliknya ingkar dengan arahan serta prosedur yang telah ditetapkan oleh JAS.

“Kita telah banyak kali memberi amaran serta kompaun kepada mereka tetapi mereka masih berdegil serta melakukan pencemaran dan melanggar garis panduan yang kita tetapkan.

“Jadi, kita terpaksa membuat keputusan ini demi menjaga kebajikan serta kehidupan masyarakat sekeliling,” ujarnya.

Tambahnya, pihaknya akan mengeluarkan notis untuk merampas tanah berkenaan.

“Kita bukan sahaja akan menutup kilang tersebut tetapi juga akan merampas tanah berkenaan kerana telah melanggar syarat milik tanah yang termaktub dalam Kanun Tanah Negara,” katanya.