Trump card that could save High Chaparral?

 Development issues, Housing, Marginalised groups  35 Responses »
Jul 092009
 

Could this be the lifeline that could save Kampong Buah Pala from demolition on 2 Aug? This adds to the uncertainty faced by the developer. Check out this excerpt from a Sun report: The Kampung Buah Pala saga took a twist today when the state government revealed a trump card in its bid to protect villagers from an impending demolition after the Aug 2 eviction deadline. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng showed reporters a provision under section 116 of the National Land Code that stipulates a building on alienated land cannot be demolished, altered or extended without prior consent in writing of the appropriate authority.

Federal govt “ready to help”; Koh: Don’t blame me

 Accountability, Housing, M'sian politics, Marginalised groups  46 Responses »
Jul 062009
 

Now we hear that the federal government is “ready to help” the High Chaparral residents, says Deputy Minister T Murugiah. “Although the Barisan Nasional (BN) is not in power in the state, the Federal Government still belongs to BN and we should help the people, regardless of their race,” he said. Check out the Bernama report here. Meanwhile, former Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon has washed his hands off the Kampung Buah Pala crisis, saying he would not interfere to avoid getting blamed.

Nusmetro Ventures: The Balik Pulau connection

 Accountability, Housing, Malaysian finance/business  19 Responses »
Jul 052009
 

Who exactly owns Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, the developer of the Oasis luxury condominium project? According to the latest records for the developer filed with the Companies Commission of Malaysia, Asia Link-up Sdn Bhd holds 96 per cent of the RM250,000 issued share capital of Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd. That makes Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd almost a wholly owned subsidiary of Asia Link-up. But who owns Asia Link-up then? It’s now time to lift its corporate veil as well. According to the Companies Commmission, Asia Link-up documents registered as at 24 April 2009 show that Mohamad Faridz Karim of Balik Pulau owns 80 per cent of the company’s RM500,000 issued share capital. Faridz has also been director of Asia Link-up since October 2004 and director of its subsidiary, Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, since April 2005.

The sad tale of High Chaparral

 Accountability, Housing, Marginalised groups  45 Responses »
Jul 042009
 
The sad tale of High Chaparral

The old well at Kampung Buah Pala where clear fresh water reaches ground level – Photo by Anil Netto For those of you still unfamiliar with the background to the High Chaparral issue, here’s an excellent write-up by Himanshu Bhatt in today’s Sun: Kampung Buah Pala holds its breath THERE is an old well said to have been dug some 100 years ago in Penang’s Kampung Buah Pala, a charming settlement of cowherds and planters, which still provides fresh groundwater for many villagers. So remarkable is this well that during the national water crisis of the late 1990s, it became the lifeline for thousands of Penangites who made a bee-line to collect its water when all other supplies failed.

Guan Eng warns developer not to play hard ball

 Accountability, Development issues, Housing, M'sian politics  94 Responses »
Jul 022009
 

Chief Minister Guan Eng has issued a warning to Nusmetro Ventures after the Oasis developer’s “highly irresponsible and inflammatory” threats yesterday. Meanwhile, the state investigative committee needs to quickly get to the bottom of the circumstances surrounding the questionable sale and land transfers. What has happened to the villagers’ report to the MACC? The State Government will not take a single cent of the so-called “goodwill payment” from the developer unless the kampung Buah Pala residents agree to the compensation. The Penang state government warns Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, the developer of the proposed housing project in Kampung Buah Pala, for threatening to send bulldozers in by August 2 to forcibly evict residents and demolish their houses as highly irresponsible and inflammatory. It is highly improper to stoke fear into the villagers’ hearts by reminding them that they will have to move out by Aug 2 when the one-month [Read more]

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