KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Residents of Bukit Antarabangsa have denied media reports describing them as selfish and ungrateful for the help given by search and rescue personnel and agencies.

Bukit Antarabangsa Residents Action Committee (Barac) chairman Datuk N. Muniandy said the reports were baseless.

"Since the tragedy, there were reports that claimed we were not thankful... this is not true. We wish to clear the air by issuing our statement.

"Since day one, residents here have been grateful to the police, Fire and Rescue Department, army, Civil Defence, Red Crescent, Rela, Public Works Department, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, and other agencies for their assistance," said Muniandy at the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide media centre here yesterday.

Also present were Barac vice-chairman and secretary Raymond Jagathesan and members Datuk Syed Taha Syed Mohamad and Datuk Shaharuddin Adnan.

Shaharuddin denied rumours that four casinos were operating in the area.

"There is no truth in these rumours at all. It is an attempts to tarnish our names. The houses the rumours mentioned belonged to my neighbour and I know that they are not used as casinos," he said.

Barac represents the 14 houses that were destroyed in the landslide as well as some 3,000 residents from the 252 houses who were forced to evacuate.

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