PENANG, 7 July 2009; The state Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)-DAP coalition has proposed the chief minister, Lim Guan Eng, to be the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) chairperson.
State PKR Liaison Committee chairperson Datuk Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said that DAP and PKR leaders had met and decided to propose Lim as the person to chair the monthly meeting of the PR in the state.
“The meeting is an important factor for the current PR administrative machinery towards achieving its target of winning in the federal level,” he told reporters after the meeting with state PKR leaders and Lim here today.
He said Lim had agreed to take on the position as it would be a good move to make the PR a strong coalition here.
However, Zahrain said he would get the consensus from the state PAS leaders before making any announcement.
“I believe PAS will have no objection on the matter, but we will still get their consensus before making the decision,” he said.
On the expulsion of Johari Kassim, Zahrain said the state government and the PKR had discussed the matter and he was planning to meet Johari soon.
“I do not want to reveal any information on the matter until I meet with Johari,” he said.
On 4 June, Johari, as a member of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) had led eight PKR councillors to boycott the swearing-in ceremony held for the appointment of a new council president.
On the Kampung Buah Pala issue, he said the state PKR would leave it to the Penang government to decide on how to help the villagers resolve the issue. Lim has said he would meet the villagers at his office tomorrow.
“We are not a racist party and we do not want any race in the state to be neglected in this kind of situation. We believe the state government would have the best solution for the villagers,” Zahrain said.
Twenty-three squatter families from the village have been in a tussle over recent years to save their cattle-rearing village, dubbed “Penang’s High Chaparral“, from being demolished to make way for a development project. — Bernama
Singam says
I take exception to your describing the Kg Buah Pala residents as squatters.
The land was gifted to them by Helen Brown some 150 years ago and was gazetted in 1950 as a Housing Trust.
In 2005, the BN government alienated the land without first dissolving the Trust. That renders the alienation invalid.
In 2007, the crony property developer was given approval to plan the development before the land had been transferred. This is contrary to Council by-laws and renders the approval invalid.
The land was hastily transferred by unknown Land Office persons after the PR had taken over the Penang State Government. The circumstances were most suspicious.
The only legal position the developer is standing on is the Federal Court ruling overturning all the lower court judgments.
The entire Kg Buah Pala incident reeks of corruption and abuse of power.
The residents ARE NOT squatters. They are victims of a massive cheating operation. You owe them an apology.