Dunedin estate workers happy with relocation deal

Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary general S Arutchelvan organised a trip to Dunedin Estate Semenyih Selangor to check on the problems faced by estate workers there yesterday.

The predicament that the estate workers are facing now is that they are being relocated to another area following the sale of the estate land to UEM Land Holdings.

The time frame given for the relocation is 36 months, where a low cost terrace housing area will be built for the remaining 22 families who worked in the estate.

Denudin Estate was owned by Inch Kenneth, which was initially started as a coffee plantation by Kindersly brothers from Scotland.

Recently, Inch Kenneth disposed 181 hectares freehold land, which includes Denudin Estate to UEM Land Holdings Bhd for RM259.9 million.

UEM plans to use the land for property development projects.

Following this sale, Inch Kenneth has agreed to provide an alternative housing for the estate dwellers.

The occupants of the lands are largely estate workers who have lived on the land more than half their lives. 

Dineswaran, 11, studying in SRJK (T) Ladang Semenyih said he goes to school by van and lives with his grandmother.

“I really like being here because I have a lot of friends. Also this place is windy.

“The area is wide and there is a lot of space to play around,’ he said.

He does not really cherish the thought of moving to another place.

Meanwhile, Ajunan Marimuthoo, 54, the estate’s tractor driver said that he has been with the company for a relatively brief period of 15 years but he was born here.

He said, ‘I am satisfied with the present situation and thankful that the company takes care of us.’