Hundreds gather in rowdy protest against condo project

Defiant: Taman Keramat residents voicing their dissatisfaction during the protest. — Bernama

PETALING JAYA: Hundreds of people staged a rowdy protest against the construction of the Detum Jelatek luxury condominiums in Keramat and then turned aggressive by breaking into the project’s construction site.

The protesters, mostly Taman Keramat residents and members of the Malay rights group Perkasa, claimed yesterday the project infringed upon the rights of Malays.

They tore down the zinc hoardings around the project site and marched into the site. The situation was brought under control when policemen stepped in and told the protesters to disperse.

Detum Jelatek action committee chairman Salleh Samad warned of “bloodshed” if the state government allowed the project to proceed in the area, which he said was “100% Malay”.

He said the area had always been a predominantly Malay one and the implementation of the project had forced the local bumiputra to be “kicked out”.

“Why do they want to encroach into our land by bringing in bangsa asing (foreign races)? We are not ready to accept other races in our community. They shouldn’t play with fire,” he said.

The project sits on the site of four blocks of Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) flats owned mostly by Malays.

It first courted controversy when the former administration of Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim approved it.