Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng makes several points:
- The crisis was created under the previous BN administration;
- The Buah Pala villagers should distinguish between their friends and those responsible for their predicament;
- The Penang government has to act according to the law;
- The Penang state government cannot afford to re-acquire the 6.5 acre plot of land, he claims: “I don’t even want to try and guess the amount.” (The previous BN state government had reportedly sold the land to the developers for only RM3.2 million or about RM11 per square foot in 2005.)
The following is a chronology of events prepared by an activist:
Kronologi
1950-2005
Tanah Kampung Buah Pala terletak di bawah Housing Trust Act 1950 dan penduduknya membayar TOL (temporary occupation licence) setiap tahun kepada Pejabat Tanah
1999
Penduduk Kampung Buah Pala memohon Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk melindungi warisan Kampung Buah Pala sebagai kampung tradisi India
2005
Pejabat Tanah tidak mahu menerima bayaran TOL oleh Kampung Buah Pala.
Tanah kemudian dijual sebanyak RM3.21juta kepada Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Berhad (KPKPP) dan Nusmetro Venture Sdn Bhd Pinang. Nusmetro dan KPKPP memberi notis pengusiran kepada penduduk-penduduk Kampung Buah Pala.
27 Mac 2008
Tanah dipindah dari tangan Kerajaan Negeri/Persekutuan (trustee) kepada Nusmetro Venture Sdn Bhd dan KPKPP. Penduduk Kampung Buah Pala membawa kes ini ke Mahkamah Tinggi
Oktober 2008
Kampung Buah Pala menang di Mahkamah Tinggi.
KPKPP membawa kes ke Mahkamah Rayuan Persekutuan.
18 Jan 2009
Perayaan Ponggal untuk merayakan warisan berusia hampir 200 tahun Kampung Buah Pala. Banyak wakil rakyat termasuk Anwar Ibrahim berjanji untuk berjuang untuk Kg Buah Pala.
11 Mei 2009
Pemaju tanah menang kes di Mahkamah Rayuan Persekutuan. Penduduk Kampung Buah Pala diberi notis pengusiran 30 hari.
6 Jun 2009
Sidang akhbar memberi nafas baru kepada isu Kampung Buah Pala.
8 Jun 2009
Mesyuarat antara Kerajaan Negeri dan Pertubuhan Penduduk-Penduduk Kg Buah Pala. Kerajaan Negeri menubuhkan jawatankuasa penyiasatan untuk isu tanah Kg Buah Pala. Penduduk-penduduk menekan bahawa mereka tidak akan menyerah tanah mereka kepada pemaju tanah.
11 Jun 2009
Hari ke-30 dari notis pengusiran. Lori penuh dengan batu konkrit datang tapi patah balik selepas gagal masuk ke Kg Buah Pala.
16 Jun 2009
Case management di Mahkamah Persekutuan
19 Jun 2009
Perhimpunan lilin di Kg Buah Pala
24 June 2009
Hearing di Mahkamah Persekutuan
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I think the CM is not pointing specifically to the villagers but rather the people working behind it. He didn’t say it is ‘the villagers’. Feel I should point this out because I am the one who took the video and there was no mention of ‘the villagers’ but instead, he gave a general statement. The villagers are tensed as it is so it is unkind to blame them solely for not being able to discern. There are so many parties working behind this, the legal guys, the politicians, the activists etc and not only the villagers.
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Anil,
Can the Penang govt. acquire the land by force without paying compensation to the owners as Uthayakumar claimed?
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I think Anil should put up the official press release in Lim Kit Siang’s website. The press conference is too brief. Pls consider doing so for a clearer picture.
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The question is .. are Penangites willing to compensate the money for the fault and creation by the previous state govt? answer is NO WAY!
The Federal Govt not helping to solve Penang problem, why should the State Govt help the previous state govt problem.
This money belongs to the Penangites.
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Ok, Guan Eng, we get the picture. Don’t be so cheong hee about friends and enemies.
So, to buy the land back. Now let’s see. If swamp land was worth that much in the nineties, not forgetting inflation…. where’s the calculator, Anil?
Actually, it was sold in 2005 for just RM3.2 million. – Anil
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Anil
U keep harping that the land is sold in 2005 for a few million cheap bucks. However, u NEVER EVER specify that that few million cheap bucks is an undervalue transaction. Under the law, the compensation payable is on MARKET VALUE. Hence, do not misled others into thinking its anything less than RM10 million.
Based on market value, PERSONALLY (and without incurring any legal obligatons on my side) I estimate the value of 6.5 arce of prime land anything between RM30 million to RM100 million (although LGE dun even dare to estimate).
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We hope that the Hindraf leaders will not sell their souls to BeEnd. Have they ever do some researches into this issue? Why aims the gun at YAB LGE and company, when this mess was created by the backdoor listed minister and company in 2007? The Hindraf leaders should go after the backdoor listed minister instead of getting the wrong person (YAB LGE). We urge the Hindraf leaders to stay cool and think properly over this issue over and over again.
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Previous state govt sold so cheap. MACC should investigate this land deal and the Developer should think twice before pursuing this land scam. If BN want to be in the clean state, they should come forward and return the money back to the rakyat. Have they?
Teng Hock Nan even worse, calling Gerakan members not to say anything involving this problem. If Gerakan are sincere and religioulsy bound, they should come out and explain this deal . 3 million i think many of us can afford to buy also . This land deal is a rape of Penang economy.
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Where is Koh Tsu Khoon and Teng Chang Kim? They should be hauled up to explain why the land was transferred to a private company when the history of the land has been all the while known to be inhabited by squatters?
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why blame the present govt as it was koh tsu koon who sold the land dirt cheap. Hindraf should not expect all penangites to pay for just one community. it will only set a precedent for other community to threaten the govt.
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Exactly, Anil, 3.2 million. My example was with reference to the rumours of how much was paid for the swamp land which KLIA is built on.
The recurring theme seems to be selling for a pittance and buying at a king’s ransom with our money. With judgement in hand, maybe the hope is to force a buy back on the state government and make a tidy profit without lifting a finger, since the controversy is unlikely to attract any takeover interests.
As we are all well aware, anything is possible in this country, and for 3.2 million, instead of proceeding with what was originally planned, putting the present state government in a quandry might seem just as desirable to some.
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Why does LGE always have a sarcastic slant to his speeches and statements? Always giving that smile that mocks. And always blaming BN. We know he’s right in blaming BN, but enough already. Time to fix what’s broken, not keep pointing fingers. He can’t even enforce our Penang traffic laws after one-and-half years in office. I’m starting to think that I’ve made a bad call in voting for DAP if this is the kind of answers and governance we get.
Yes, very cheong hey in repeating ‘friends and enemies’. Only dumb people who think they are smart does that. Smart people say it once.
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“KB on June 30th, 2009 at 11.45am
Anil,
Can the Penang govt. acquire the land by force without paying compensation to the owners as Uthayakumar claimed?”
—————————————————————–
Can any government therefore come and take away your land by force without paying compensation? Are you suggesting Penang gov to do just that?
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Whoops, quandary.
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Personnally I think Hindraf had been asking for too much.They should not hold the PR for ransom.Go ahead and vote for BN and let’s see would it get any better next general election.
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If Koh Tsu Koon sell the land at 3million to a developer , who are these developers ? We need to get to the bottom of things , check out who were the directors involve ? 3 million for big land?
Is he a good businessman ? Why that time nobody stand up or queries this deal?
If it’s cover up without going through any protocol than Koh Tsu Koon must be held up and be investigate for some hidden agendas. he has to explain why is he selling at this price. What is he thinking?
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Wat to do……..more & more to dig on BN’s past bad & mistakes. One after another. Good for him to be sacarstic & annouce it to the public. Please dont hide..reveal. there are many more rakyat still unaware of this concequences & still blame PR playing blame game.
just like the Hindraf , thinking the land scam can be resolved overnight. R they out of thier mind, pointing finger at LGE. Go demonstrate at Gerakan office or the UMNO’s MIC. Best Najib’s.
LGE can never stop reveal all this FAULTS, as there are so much more to reveal on the past BN/UMNO/Gerakan. It is thier action, that Penanghites suffer losses. PLEASE LGE…do keep us update with more.
Perakians envy you. We now have an MB who BOAST BIG, talk BIG, spit more. Gloomy years ahead for Perakians.
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sick of LGE sarcasm
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Anil,
Please highlight what would be the estimated amount to pay NOW if Penang Govt is to acquire the land. Don’t harp on the previous RM3.2 million. Also, do highlight what would be the worst case scenario if the Penang Govt taking the step as suggested by Hindraf.
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Can any government therefore come and take away your land by force without paying compensation?
——
Yes. The current government can do that. (Stronger if you control Federal government). They can come out with a law in parliament to nationalize the asset.
But do that at their owns peril, because it is as good as saying bye-bye to the future FDI. I won’t be surprised if they do that, many foreign factory will start to pack their bag and head towards other country.
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As said, we welcome friends – real friends that understand the issues. Not one who goes around with a mobile phone, writing seditious remarks … for this I give top marks to LGE. He prevails
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Yes, i agree, why not haul out the Gerakan heads – Dr Koh, Dr Teng, etc, etc and question them abt the ISSUE. Yes, vote them back to the office in the next GE and see more cases like these to happen.
I feel it is most unfair that some people just put all the blame on LGE as if he is the one who causes all the mess.
Imagine i “****” and i expect u to wipe my bottom, how abt that?
From what i see, not all the Penang people wanted the Pg govt to fork out millions of Ringgit to buy back the land ???
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That is why LGE and his current state gov and all other PR held states should never stop digging out all the wrong doings of the past done by BN.
This is so that while the current gov try their level best to undo the wrongs, the line must be drawn clearly otherwise BN or Hindraf (as in this case) will take the opportunity to put the blame on current state gov which has nothing to do with it in the first place.
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The same piece of land today will easily cost RM58million.
I don’t think the state government can afford this.
If the voters had kicked out Dr Koh’s administration in 2004, I don’t believe this cheap land sale would have materialised.
Land, once sold, cannot be taken back without just, market price compensation and the due process of law.
I don’t want the state government to be an arrogant tyrant.
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Aiyoo people….
The land was sold to the Penang senior government officers cooperative and would be developed by an UMNO linked company.
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