BUKIT MERTAJAM, 19 Aug 2009: The federal government has so far not intervened in the Kampung Buah Pala land ownership issue as it wants to see whether the Penang government is capable of resolving the issue.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this to Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairperson M Sugumaran after receiving a memorandum on the issue from him.
“The deadline [for the residents to vacate the land] is 31 Aug. We want to see how the state government can resolve the issue,” he said.
The seven-page memorandum was handed to Muhyiddin when he visited Permatang Pasir near here, to look at the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s preparations for the by-election.
Sugumaran said in the memorandum, the association urged the federal government to intervene in the issue in order to save the traditional village and turn it into a planned village.
He said the residents were forced to ask for federal government intervention following the state government’s failure to keep its promise of helping the villagers if the opposition was given the mandate to govern the state.
“(Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng cannot assist us. Now we realise that only the BN can really help the people,” said Sugumaran.
The Federal Court recently ordered the residents to vacate the 2.6ha village land belonging to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang (KPKPP), to make way for a housing project.
However, the Federal Court yesterday fixed Friday to hear a new application by the residents to set aside the Appeals Court’s decision made on 11 May, that KPKPP is the rightful owner of the land. — Bernama
ylwong says
We’ll see if the DPM will help them.
yay says
Federal government can help you? Who, in the first place, sold the land for a song to some cronies? Isn’t that guy now part of the federal government?
Didn’t Guan Eng manage to extract at least a house for each and every residents there? No, you all just wanted more. Go ahead and look for DPM to help. Maybe he can direct the courts to give a judgement in your favour. That would really help.
Azizi Khan says
I appreciated initially that these folks got the short end of the stick but this is getting ridiculous. The offered double story houses are not good enough now ?
I know how DPM will handle the situation, he will let the Kampung Buah Pala residents rot in order to blame it all on the Pakatan government.
How is it that these folks are consistently turning down every offer to them by saying it’s not good enough, and then lament that no one is helping them!
All I can see is a lot of good folk are spending their time and money on these villagers and in return are getting nothing but complaints from them.
Remember the previous BN government created this mess. And now these folks are going begging to the same people who started this mess?
AK
mahyuddin says
The KBP folks are being used by people for their own interest and Sugu is the actual problem for KBP folks.
KBP folks must recall of the actual incedent of how the land was sold to KPKPP. Who was behind the whole deal.
At this point, I have to say KBP folks especially Sugu are selfish and greedy.
And one thing is for sure, the CM has done his best to accomodate KBP folks’ demands.
M.K. says
Looking at what has happened so far, I think the PM will eventually come up with a compromise to save the residents of Buah Pala, contrary to what he said in the beginning when Lim Guan Eng asked for his help. He then replied that it is a problem that can only be resolved by the state government. BN is desperate, so they will try to help and then tell the whole world that the Penang government is ineffective. This is my perception but let us wait and see.
Hang Jebat says
Good. Go for it, get the land and then vote for pakatan. Smart.
fslam says
The motive of the villagers of Kg Buah Pala has been very clear now. First they asked for compensation before they can move out.
After the negotiation by the state govt with the developer Nusmetro, they were offered a double storey house worth close to RM500K.This they rejected and wanted to bring the issue to an Umno branch to help them.
This shows that some of the villagers had an agenda all along. They just want to discredit the PR state govt only and did not [lay] a finger on Koh Tsu Koon and his previous BN govt.
Anyway, the whole world knows that KTK sold the land and he didn’t consult the villagers.
If KTK or BN govt really had their interests at heart, he should have offered to sell the land to the villagers as a first option. Why didn’t KTK and BN govt do this?
Yes, because of certain quarters in BN especially Umno who will make big bucks out of this deal. Simple as that.
However, the villagers are being made use of and being made suckers out of this.
Andrew I says
Stockholm Syndrome.
kanna says
The Buah Pala folk have been used and manipulated by BN to score political points ……. we have to remember that BN caused this problem and it is for them to solve it ……..The Buah Pala folk themselves are to be blamed because their actions now smell of greed and an intention to capitalise on the present situation ……… If BN really wanted to help, they could have done [it] a long time ago but they don’t want this problem to be solved. For them, it’s like a thorn in PR’s bed …….. If the state had not fallen to PR and BN was still ruling, this issue would never have arisen because the BN government would have mercilessly forced them out a year ago ………