A White Paper on the demolition of the 200- year-old Kampung Buah Pala is expected to be tabled at the next sitting of the Penang legislative assembly in August, said Deputy Chief Minister I P Ramasamy.However, questions abound on the fate of the nine families and former residents who are yet to be compensated by the developer.
Ramasamy said he “feels a lot of sympathy” for the nine who had rejected the double-storey houses offered by the developer, in return for vacating their homes in the village.But he also said his office had given the families four months to come around and accept the deal, the best the developer could offer."I waited and waited but finally I could not wait any more," he said, when winding-up on points raised on the Yang DiPetua Negeri's speech yesterday."I told them to sign the papers first and if they wanted to protest against me or the state government after that, they could go ahead," he said.
Kampung Buah Pala residents association chairperson M Sugumaran (right in photo) had said there were too many loopholes in the offer.The houses were later given to villagers who had agreed to the original compensation package, he told the House.Demolished in September 2009, the village - dubbed the Tamil High Chapparal - paved the way for construction of the Oasis by landowner Penang Civil Servant Cooperative Society and developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd.
The project was mooted during the BN state government and the land was sold for RM3.2 million, 10 times lower than the market rate about six years ago.However, the Gerakan-led administration had reportedly tried to compel the developers to settle the compensation issue with the villagers before the land title was transferred, in a clause inserted in the agreement.
Ramasamy said he was aware that BN's Indian ally, the MIC, and the Hindu Human Rights Party had incited the villagers' sentiments instead of helping them find an amicable solution.It is learnt that Parti Sosialis Malaysia, which had also joined the families in their struggle, had advised them to accept the deal - 24 did, but the nine decided otherwise.The ex-gratia deal included a 1,200 sq ft double-storey terrace house for each of the 24 houses demolished.
'Our hands are tied now'
Looking back, Ramasamy said the issue had been "politically exploited" to run down the current DAP- led administration."To a certain extent, they managed to run down the reputation of the Pakatan Rakyat state government," he noted.He admitted that the negative propaganda had been raised during the Hulu Selangor by-election last year and the Sarawak polls campaign in April this year.
"But where are the parties now who said they would help the villagers? They were the ones who incited the villagers (who are) now left without homes."The double storey-houses will be probably ready in September and are said to have a current value of about RM700,000 per unit.Ramasamy said the families have since realised that they were given the wrong advice, and their representatives have met with him but there was nothing he can do at this point.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had earlier said the state government could not do anything if the residents refused to consider the offer.Representatives of the families have claimed that they were prevented from meeting with Ramasamy when they went to Komtar, where his office is located, to consult with him on the matter. "It would have been good for us politically if we had met with the families. Do you think we would have prevented them from seeing us?" Ramasamy asked.Recently, the nine families initiated court action, seeking a full trial over the Kampung Buah Pala land status.
They argued that, since the land was under a federal trust, the state government had no right to transfer the land to a private developer."In the first place, who did this to the Kampung Buah Pala folks? It is not the Pakatan state government," argued Ramasamy."A former Indian municipal councillor, who was then a BN leader, sat on the board to approve the plans for the village. The plan was then between the cooperative and developer." He was referring to former Gerakan and then PKR leader M Nyana Segaran.The disgruntled leader quit PKR in a dramatic fashion last month, to re-pledge his support for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Source :http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163710
Ramasamy said he “feels a lot of sympathy” for the nine who had rejected the double-storey houses offered by the developer, in return for vacating their homes in the village.But he also said his office had given the families four months to come around and accept the deal, the best the developer could offer."I waited and waited but finally I could not wait any more," he said, when winding-up on points raised on the Yang DiPetua Negeri's speech yesterday."I told them to sign the papers first and if they wanted to protest against me or the state government after that, they could go ahead," he said.
The project was mooted during the BN state government and the land was sold for RM3.2 million, 10 times lower than the market rate about six years ago.However, the Gerakan-led administration had reportedly tried to compel the developers to settle the compensation issue with the villagers before the land title was transferred, in a clause inserted in the agreement.
Ramasamy said he was aware that BN's Indian ally, the MIC, and the Hindu Human Rights Party had incited the villagers' sentiments instead of helping them find an amicable solution.It is learnt that Parti Sosialis Malaysia, which had also joined the families in their struggle, had advised them to accept the deal - 24 did, but the nine decided otherwise.The ex-gratia deal included a 1,200 sq ft double-storey terrace house for each of the 24 houses demolished.
'Our hands are tied now'
Looking back, Ramasamy said the issue had been "politically exploited" to run down the current DAP- led administration."To a certain extent, they managed to run down the reputation of the Pakatan Rakyat state government," he noted.He admitted that the negative propaganda had been raised during the Hulu Selangor by-election last year and the Sarawak polls campaign in April this year.
"But where are the parties now who said they would help the villagers? They were the ones who incited the villagers (who are) now left without homes."The double storey-houses will be probably ready in September and are said to have a current value of about RM700,000 per unit.Ramasamy said the families have since realised that they were given the wrong advice, and their representatives have met with him but there was nothing he can do at this point.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had earlier said the state government could not do anything if the residents refused to consider the offer.Representatives of the families have claimed that they were prevented from meeting with Ramasamy when they went to Komtar, where his office is located, to consult with him on the matter. "It would have been good for us politically if we had met with the families. Do you think we would have prevented them from seeing us?" Ramasamy asked.Recently, the nine families initiated court action, seeking a full trial over the Kampung Buah Pala land status.
They argued that, since the land was under a federal trust, the state government had no right to transfer the land to a private developer."In the first place, who did this to the Kampung Buah Pala folks? It is not the Pakatan state government," argued Ramasamy."A former Indian municipal councillor, who was then a BN leader, sat on the board to approve the plans for the village. The plan was then between the cooperative and developer." He was referring to former Gerakan and then PKR leader M Nyana Segaran.The disgruntled leader quit PKR in a dramatic fashion last month, to re-pledge his support for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Source :http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163710
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