KAJANG: Some 2,000 residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras and Sungai Long thronged the access road near the Cheras-Kajang Highway yesterday and demanded that the authorities stop the construction of a concrete barricade to close the road again.

The situation was more tense than the previous demonstration on Wednesday with the residents jostling and shouting. They had gathered at the scene as early as 6pm and by 10pm, the crowd got more unruly.

More than 1,000 Federal Reserve Unit personnel were present and they used water cannons to disperse the crowd. Police also arrested four people.

In the scuffle, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was slightly injured. He claimed he was kicked and punched by plainclothes policemen while trying to prevent the FRU from using the water cannon on the residents. At press time, the crowd was still there.

Lim suffered cuts and bruises on his arms and body and was taken to Kajang Hospital.
Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai later arrived at the scene to hear the plight of his fellow MP. He said the residents were roughly treated.

He said Lim would be going to court today to apply for an injunction to stop highway concessionaire Grand Saga from closing the road.

The closure of the access road meant that motorists could no longer by-pass the Batu 11 toll plaza and they would have to pay the 90-sen toll.