More details of the compensation package have emerged, which supersedes my earlier post on the subject.
Here is the summary of the package gleaned from a copy of a letter obtained from one of the villagers. The two-page letter dated 4 August bears the signature of a director of Nusmetro (name not given):
- Two-storey terrace houses to be erected on plots measuring 20 feet by 60 feet each. The built-up area of each will be roughly 1,400 square feet.
- The villagers have to withdraw all legal action.
- The terms will be subject to a relocation agreement to be signed between the developer and the villagers.
- If relevant approvals are not obtained from the authorities, the compensation agreement will be deemed to be cancelled.
- No mention in the letter of any compensation for monthly rentals incurred by the villagers while waiting for the houses to be ready.
- No specs provided for the material to be used in building the houses.
- No info on the completion date of the houses; nor any information on what recourse the villagers will have if the houses do not materialise or are delayed.
- If the villagers fail to leave by noon on Friday, 7 August, Nusmetro states it and the Koperasi have the right to execute their writ of possession.
How the Kg Buah Pala controversy is resolved is going to be crucial: one elected rep in Selangor told me there are a couple of similar cases in that state which could prove to be just as difficult.
The issue is not one of race. The villagers can be of any ethnic group: today it may be Indian Malaysian villagers; tomorrow it could be Malay or Chinese villagers who find themselves in the same predicament.
The issue is how to ensure justice and a fair deal for the low to middle income groups who stand to lose their family homes – through no fault of their own – when corporate predators move in. So please don’t play up the racial angle. The world would be a much kinder and gentler place if we view it through the lens of compassion for our fellow human beings.
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nkkhoo
Rajan’s a fake…as proven by the rejection of LGE’s offer by the residents….
rajan
August 6th, 2009 at 9.21pm
K, what is your lot number? I have one in kbp. You don’t. I suffer you don’t….
===
Are you speaking for the majority of KPB residents?
The answer is NONE.
You are want to accept the offer from someone (grabbing) your ancestor land is your personal choice.
Wisdom23
Excuse me ? My posts were mainly blaming LGE ? Well, who else do you think I should blame ? LGE is the Chief Executive of the State and he has both moral and legal responsibility to solve the issue. After all his own party and exco who made the promise to preserve the village and not KTK.
Uppermost in my mind is whether this “final solution” serves the social justice that DAP had been promoting and championing. If there is fraud and injustice the citizens of penang would be best served if justice is served and is seen to be served. The cost may be high but what value can a person put on a system that upholds justice and fairness ? Incalculable. I agree with vijay that this case is worth fighting for. An important precedence must be set by the pr government that they favour justice and fairness and not influential politicians or predatorial businessmen.… Read more »
“The sentiment here is just like the Neo-Cons of George Bush”
lol!!The newcons are the Waythas,the Uthayas,the Samys.. .all the time barking…!Waytha told the settlers that he is going to seek help frm United Nations to save Buah Pala and tamilians world wide are going to donate to buy back the land. Uthaya said “give me a pillow and a mat and i will fight to the end”,and Samy said he is going to pay RM3.2 million. Taking advantage of people’s ignorance is the hallmark of (these) leaders.And The UThayas,Waythas,The Samys are experts in this game!!
Folks,
Forget about K, if anyone notice from his first posting, majority of his/her comments merely focus on blaming blaming blaming on PR govt, esp. LGE personally. Nothing constructive. He hardly mentioned what himself can do to help KBP’s villagers.
The entire incident looks like a scenario where peoples mostly blamed on the one who try to keep away a fire, rather the one who started the fire/the arsonist.
Kacang So if LKS and LGE “merajuk” then the KBP is finish ? Do you know that if the rakyat “merajuk” then the entire DAP can finish ? We rakyat dont own DAP our living but it is the other way around. Those who keep defending LGE just blinded to the fact that DAP folks personally made promise before and after the GE. Prof Rama himself said, ” Don’t worry about your houses being demolished, I am the DCM2 now”. The irony of this is that when they made these promises during beginning of the year (2009) the land was… Read more »
Let me summarise what some folks here are trying to say : – You defend the villagers, then you must be a racist Hindraf member – You fight for the KBP residents, then you must be a MIC member – You critcise LGE’s bungling and incompetence, then you must be a BN sympathiser and Gerakan supporter – You question LGE’s motivation, then you must hate LGE and DAP The sentiment here is just like the Neo-Cons of George Bush…”If you are not with then, then you are against us”. Most of the people who are against KBP folks are only… Read more »
K, what is your lot number? I have one in kbp. You don’t. I suffer you don’t….
The residents must be aware of their real position. Rightly or wrongly, the court has made them illegal squatters. To depend on further court battles is extremely risky as to quote the words of one ex-Lord President, “we have extraordinary judges with extraordinary abilities.” The residents’ bargaining power is now heavily dependent on applying political pressure on the Penang govt. But this political pressure is also dependent on public opinion. If public opinion turns against the residents, the political pressure dissipates. Now that the developer has made a concrete offer of double storey terrace houses which many of the public… Read more »
I smell something fishy with Nusmetro’s deal and the way they are pushing it in a hurry for a decision by this Friday Aug 07. How is one to decide when many of the terms as cited above are not clearly spelt out ? Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff, said the demolition could not be carried out pending a Federal Court decision on the residents’ application for leave to appeal against vacant possession on Aug 18 so I suggest coming this far, wait for the courts decision, I have a niggling feeling Nusmetro knows something we all don’t that’s why they are… Read more »
Look at Tharmaraj today, looks so silly and so obvious that he has been used by MIC/HINDRAF. While LGE is trying so hard to have a win win situation, Tharmaraj is still shooting LGE in every sentence he uttered and thinking LGE is throwing him out or KBP. The residents is already throw out of KBP by the Federal Court. He really don’t know who is his freind or enemies. He think MIC can help him, just think if MIC dare to go against the UMNO control developer? They are here just to confuse the resident.
There is something definitely more than meets the eye. Someone has hijacked the whole saga, for an ulterior motive. Bottomline it is being Hijacked by the BN & the rest to make LGE and PR to look bad. Hindraf/MIC/Gerakan/BN & everyone is washing their hands off this case as the days go by. I know RSN very well. He is a “Street Fighter” of lawyer and person when it comes to defending the rights of the poor and down-trodden. He too has gone silent. Is it because the KPB residents are being adamant and refuse to budge and compromise? All… Read more »
Hello, K
Are you KTK?
I wonder if K actually is KTK himself
Dear, eagle-eye
LGE actually use the “development approval cancellation” threat as a bargaining tool….
To KBP folks, don’t anything silly to current state goverment, LGE, or DAP. If LGE got ‘merajuk’, then KBP is finished! DAP’s LKS ‘merajuk’ then KBP also finished!
Aiya,
Vote for BN in the next GE if you are not satisfied.
Then you can have more Kpg Buah Pala episode.
If that happens, don’t cry , please because BN government will bulldoze your demands just as the buildings.
When LGE is tolerant and tries to get the best deal, more bombardment from onlookers or should I say instigators
SamG,
The developer’s estimate of RM150 million include loss of profit from the luxury apartments. It is not just for the land.
With the Federal Court decision, the villagers have legally become squatters. They can fight in court come more by asking for a judicial review of the Federal Court decision but the chance of success is slim. Emotions are high because the villagers feel they have been cheated of their land and they have their supporters. This is understandable. LGE has been dragged in because he happens to be the CM. Naturally he has to help find a solution although the land was sold by the previous state govt. But LGE does not deserve all this mud, insinuations and abuses thrown… Read more »
What’s tharmaraj sayin..”i really do not know what to do now..we got no time..we got no money yadaa yada yada”..It’s this guy who said that he is willing to offer RM40 million to the state Goverment to buy over Kpg Buah Pala,and also threatened to do “havoc” etc etc ..Dont believe?Go and ask LGE and Prof Ramasamy.This whole issue has been been turned upside down by MIC/MAKKAL SAKTI/HINDRAF and their supporters.Look at the banners, notice boards in Kpg Buah Pala.MIC/HINDRAF/MAKKAL SAKTI main aim was to create as much problem as possible for LGE,Rayar,Prof Ramasamy and Pakatan.Now that they have lost… Read more »
K, you have shown to be one sided in your arguments. Look at things both sides. PR Govt (not BN)of Perak gave titles for new villages irrespective of race. In Selangor, we have Bn’s ZERO Squatters by the toyo and lots of people staying for years in areas are then considered squatters and their homes just bulldozed to the ground and they were only offered low cost houses which they must pay thru their teeth. Here you guys are given free 20’x60′ double storey houses and yet you still want more…consider you people very very lucky. What did you say… Read more »
Ok, besides the house what about the RM200K or so. Another note show that the land being valued at RM550/sq ft. Something wrong there. I wonder if that is the price in the Golden Traingle. KL? Suspect the price should not be more than RM150/sq ft. even in Pangkor Road area, I see prices at RM150/sq ft. So how did Nusmetro/Gerakan come up with Rm150 Million?
BTW, KTK please don’t show your face again in Penang in the next elections… You created all this mess, and cooly blame LGE. Nice to see you hiding in Putrajaya
Whats the Hindraf going to do for the Pandamaran folks???? Its only for their gains and nothing else.
Call themselves Malaysians but always refering Indians fight fight for this and that. They never learn.
The double story link house could be a euphemism for a cluster house. Anyway, a 20’x60′ enclosure with 1400 sq feet of build up area is easily worth RM400,000 in Penang at regular prices even for a cluster house. (A 1400 sq. feet built-up regular link house in Penang would fetch in excess of RM600k). Staying in a new building with ownership to the land certainly beats staying in a dilapidated dwelling on a piece of land you don’t own. Get the state government to open up the tsunami quarters for you to put up temporarily pending completion of those… Read more »
MR K,
You can always vote for BN in the next GE. It is not far off.
Get Koh Tsu Koon back and let us see what is in store for the poor and powerless.
Yes, Koh can do a ‘better’ job.
Maybe Mr. K can advise LGE how to re-acquire the land at cost. Karpal Singh and sons will be out of job if you can successfully get the land back legally