Against the odds: Tense scenes as Kg Buah Pala villagers defend their homes from demolition – Photos by C Khor
For a brief backgrounder of the scandal in theSun:
1503: The bailiff has decided to defer the demolition until the end of August after holding a meeting with OCPD Azam, a village rep and Thanenthiran, according to a contact at the scene. The decision is believed to have been made on humanitarian grounds and to prevent any untoward incident. It’s another reprieve for the beleaguered villagers of Kg Buah Pala who must be heaving a sigh of relief. Sanity has prevailed – at least for today.
1436:A couple of village reps, along with Thanenthiran, are negotiating with the developer to call off the demolition, according to one villager. The OCPD is also at the scene.
Some 100 villagers are still forming a human barricade at the foothill.
1408: R S Thanenthiran of the Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party has entered the scene. He spends several minutes in the police mobile base and then emerges to give a press conference.
The stand-off continues as many more people arrive.
1324: The Koperasi’s blog says it does not agree to the proposal for the two-storey houses offered as compensation to be built on its land. The cooperative is expected to hold an EGM soon to discuss this and related issues. The action by the developer (Nusmetro) today may be seen in that light – to show it is doing something to fulfil its part of the joint-venture agreement ahead of the Koperasi’s EGM.
1312: The court bailiff stands on one of the bulldozers to address the crowd. But the shouting of the crowd drowns out whatever he has to say.
The bulldozers, facing the crowd, rev up their engines, but the villagers roar, “Tutup enjin! Tutup enjin!” A standoff ensues.
1241: The villagers’ lawyer, Darshan Singh, arrives, clutching some documents. He wants to meet the court bailiff, who is holed up with the developer in the village house they are using as a base. But police are blocking Darshan’s way, amidst shouts and chants from the crowd.
The OCPD has arrived and is now believed to be inside the mobile police base a short distance away.
1215: The stand-off between the villagers and the demolition team at the foothill continues.
The deadlines for the three houses were given more than half an hour ago. Police are taking up positions outside the three houses.
1207: It looks as if three houses have been targeted for demolition today. A 30-minute deadline has been given.
1202: About 200 villagers have gathered outside the house which the developer is using. Some of them have brought cow dung. Police are guarding the house.
1149: The developer appears to be using the house across the road from the open-air enclosure for cows as a base. A couple of villagers are also believed to be inside the house.
The developer walks to the house next to it and another house after that to talk to the occupants, but the villagers are resisting.
1132: Villagers are scrambling to the foothill as contractors emerge. A standoff ensues.
Meanwhile, more panic as villagers believe that contractors are coming from the top of the slope. The police inform an activist that they are not contractors but the court bailiff among others.
Two or three women are believed to have fainted. They are stretchered away through the barricades as the ambulance is not allowed in. The villagers ask why police cars are allowed in but not the ambulance, according to a source at the scene.
Villagers are trying to contact several DAP and PKR reps in the state government, but no one seems to be picking up their phones.
1058: One woman in her fifties has fainted and is now lying on a table. The older folks in the village look tired and weary. Another woman, Mahadevi, 51, who had just undergone a spinal operation recently, has been shoved.
The developer, lawyers and others are in one of the houses. TNB personnel are also believed to be at the scene.
1046: Some of the villagers say that the bailiff has given them 15 minutes to leave, according to one source. A lot of shouting going on.
Another source reports the same thing, adding that the villagers are chanting, “Hidup Kampung Buah Pala! Samseng keluar!”
1029: A court bailiff sticks a demolition order on one of the houses.
A commotion breaks out as village reps point out any action today would be in contempt of court as the Federal Court is due to hear their application for revision on 18 August.
The developer’s contractors are still around. Some reporters re-enter the village.
1008: The demolition team march into the village followed by the two bulldozers. A crowd of chanting villagers goes up close and eyeballs them. A police barricade separates the two sides. About a hundred Light Strike Force personnel are at the scene.
1003: The demolition team are moving in: about 200 people and two tractors or bulldozers.
0935: The situation appears tense in the village. Two bulldozers are believed to be around. Police continue to order out reporters and photographers, says an eye-witness at the scene. He believes some of the residents have confronted the demolition team at the Shell station and they may have dispersed (unable to verify that though). The entire area has now been blocked. As raindrops fall, it seems as if the heavens are weeping.
0929: People are milling around the second barricade. “Everyone seems to be just waiting,” reports a citizen journalist. One village family – husband, pregnant wife and two children – has left the scene. Lots of police personnel around. A tractor or bulldozer is inside the village, according to two different sources.
0920: About 200 police personnel, including riot police are now in the village. “They are coming,” one villager tells me, sounding upset. He said one of the villagers had spotted another group of men, believed to be the developers’ people, gathering at the Shell station along the main road.
A citizen journalist tries to enter the village but is unable to get past the second barricade.
0853: The police have asked reporters and photographers inside the village to move outside the road blocks that have been set up at the entrance to the village. About 50 villagers have gathered inside and some 50 police personnel are also present, according to an eye-witness.
0750: Police on motorbikes have been seen checking out Kg Buah Pala. The residents have been on tenterhooks since last night amidst speculation that something could happen today.
“Where is the State Government – the MB, the Deputy MB – why are they not intervening?” – Charles Hector
Charles, if you’ve been following this saga, the MB and Deputy MB have been so abused and slammed by the residents and their political helpers despite trying their best effort to help that they no longer want to get involved.
Maybe the residents were so brave, arrogant and demanding because they were dealing with the PR govt and not BN.
Let this be a lesson to the residents. Their houses can and will be demolished and the PR govt is not going to ride to their rescue. If they can’t get help from Hindraf, MIC and MMSP, they had better compromise.
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Just the land alone at Kampung Buah Pala will be worth RM150~RM200/sq ft when fully prepared for residential purpose.
Just imagine the 20×60 plot the 24 villagers are getting is worth more than RM200k each, minus the building.
That is already a lot more than what other squatters are getting in most other places in this country.
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NK Khoo,
The developer has the court order stating that the lands now belongs to Numentero. Even with the so called injunction, judging from the previous cases, the residents gonna lose
The state government got to be firm lest they are caught bankrupt later. If Iceland or Ireland can go bankrupt, so does Penang state government. We are talking about 1.5 million Penangites not just 300 folks. Hence, the Master & Commander analogy, Jack Aubrey must cut lost the rope killing one sailor went overboard to save the ship
NK Khoo,
I always believe the Ship is more than a Crew. 300 folks would have accepted the offer in principle while bargaining to build 3 storey terrace house for bigger families. Even 300 KBP folks can refinance the house, to get extra money to build further extension
Many folks including me getting much lesser. People would make comparison if exception made on KBP folks. Who are KBP folks compared to thousands of those evicted with lesser compensation.
NK Khoo,
Hence, this statement.
Promises made subject to requirement of the State of Penang
Penang State Government has 457 billion budget. I would like LGE to spend on creating more jobs
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Anil
Someone should have made an effort to make the villagers see sense earlier on. Nobody owes them a living. Whos to be blame for this mess now? LGE? I personally think that LGE has done enough although he could be more decisive earlier on. Committee members who dealt with the matter? I think the end result speaks much about their effort here.
You have questioned about LGE’s 3.5m figure, but have you questioned the sincerity of the committee members advising the villagers?
The end result is plain for everyone to see.
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LBC,
I ll agree with you if you/anyone can show us the schedule payment documents ?…. come on.. publish the schedule payment proof here….
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Rajan
August 13th, 2009 at 4.05pm
NTKhoo
It is your choice. Mine – I left the village with less remorse before. I suggest you keep your comments to yourself. You can’t handle the truth.
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Rajan, i believe you are being well advised. This nkkhoo is the kinda people who only know how to talk with their mindless set. The kind that set a point and mindlessly go with it regardless any logic or sense was thrown to him. The kind that always think he knows and he is right. He never wonder why his blog was never been bothered. The way he speak reflect the person he is.
Mr Khoo sweetheart, you do realise all this while the only thing you are pushing is no about the villagers? it is about the state government or least to say LGE? “he should resign, he should resign” man. Seriously sweetie. You live in such a painful world.
p/s: i hope numestro will re-offer the compensation for the rest and the villagers will move out by the dateline agreed on. That would save a lot of time and money. Not to mention the emotion involved. I was there today and it was messy.
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Sarah
Speak for yourself and your sorry kind of people.
I’m a Penangite and I can’t support LGE.
Neither do most of my friends.
You and other less compassionate people can do what you like.
But DAP is in trouble in Penang.
Mark my words the DAP support amongst the non-chinese is at a all time low thanks to inconsiderate money first racist selfish people…
Don’t be surprised to see BN back next GE.
You deserve it.
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The monetary value of the land and what teh Kg Buah Pala residents are being offered as compensation is totally immaterial. The fact that the former BN state government (grabbed) the land from right under the feet of a group of citizens who have lived there for generations and LOVE THE LAND… that is the most important reality to bear in mind! High-rise condos and shopping malls are a dime a dozen – but 200 years of local history cannot be allowed to be summarily demolished by UNMITIGATED GREED.
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The villagers have to face the hard reality. Public opinion is against them, the Penang govt has washed its hands and they have to battle the developer alone. They have just one option left – a request for review of the Federal Court’s decision on Aug 18.
Their lawyer Darshan Singh continues to give them false hopes. He said he will file a caveat on the land but the villagers have no locus standi. He will apply for a stay of demolition but this depends on the success of the application for review. Oddly, he will seek a court declaration that the state government shall allow the villagers to have legal representation in negotiations but the state govt has already washed their hands.
Asking the Federal Court to review its own decision is a long shot. It can only succeed in very exceptional cases and to date, there’s only a few. Darshan does not tell them this.
This is not about land fraud or who to blame or whether LGE has done enough for them or not. It’s time to move beyond all these arguments and face the situation. The developer can and will demolish their houses against their objections if they lose the last court hearing which may take all of 5 minutes to deliver.
The double storey houses has been withdrawn but the developer is still offering compensation to leave the site. What would you advise them? Bash LGE some more? Fight when the demolition team comes?
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The villagers should move on. Indians in Malaysia face many problems and this KBP problem is just a minor one. Real Indian politicians who claim to fight for Indians should focus more on bigger and more serious issues. They have to help the more than 1 million in the country not just 24 families in KBP. To these villagers , don’t be stubborn. Sooner or later the village will be demolished. I love to see where are these going to stay when that time comes, in the jungle, by the longkang, in the field, under the bridge. By that time, we’ll tell them ” you ask for it and you got it “.
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If all fails , LGE and his govt must go….no excuse…. the Indians in Penang must join hand to kick them out for good.
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Someone here said PR State Govt force and intimidate the villagers to accept the landed property deal.
I think most of Penangites don’t mind similar intimidation or “force” used by the PR State Govt too if there is similar landed property deal.
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Lee Ho
August 13th, 2009 at 4.59pm
Reading my fellow chinese comments here makes me sad and embarassed for our race.
LGE signed off on this nightmare.
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LKS used to ask other people to resign for mistakes done.
I hereby ask LGE to resign from CM now before he ruin the prospect of PR in Penang. This is a part of CAT.
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saraswathy
August 13th, 2009 at 8.40pm
===
If you cannot help a few (villagers) keep their land, what else you can do? Send them to moon?
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looes74
August 13th, 2009 at 6.29pm
==
You miss the essential point. I insist LGE should be at least give them hard time by delaying grant issuance and conduct inquiry on irregularities by KTK. The deal may be cancelled if PR state govenment can dig out hard evidences.
In my opinion, KTK bears 75% responsiblity and LGE bears 25% responsiblity for this KBP blunder.
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One thing I see about the villagers is that most of them are not hypocrites. They stood for one cause since the beginning, which is to save their village. Nope, they never asked for money.
But then, the general public wants the villagers to be hypocrites and lose their dignity. Take the money, lose your dignity, get labelled as greedy and leave. If not, we will find ways to get you out anyway! Sadly, this is the way how things work nowadays.
Those who don’t understand what I am trying to say here, go and watch “Men of Honour”. Yup, a movie it is; one that may let you learn what life gives when you stand for your rights. You will see what I mean.
You may argue that the land is not theirs, and at the same time you know it was illegally taken from them.
Finally, these villagers may lose the land they have so long lived and loved, but they will still walk tall saying they (resisted) till the end. I am proud of you, the people of KBP!
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Maybe Anil should conduct a poll here and try to get a feel on readers support of the role of Lim GE’s government in the handling of this issue.
My feeling is that the villagers are trying to be difficult because they have been mislead into believing that their position is still very strong.
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NKKhoo -you are a big comedy. I have decided to accept the offer. State your lot number before you make your judgement. So – let’s see what happens on the 18 August….
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It looks like the residents at KBP have finally come to their senses. 16 of the 18 families are willing to move out with the 2-storey terrace house as compensations. The 2 left were not present at the meeting at 5pm but I think they are likely to accept the offer.
They are ditching the… lawyer who wanted them to fight…
They are requesting to meet LGE & Ramasamy to close the deals with the developers. Now, they have to deal with the Koperasi which is against the offer.
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To chanjoe and DAP supporters,
It’s great after what had happened to this country since 308 election, you still believe that PR is qualified to govt this country.
Have you forgotten the aborted 916 … and the lies spread by DSAI . I even saw LGE and Father standing side by side with DSAi on TV telling the whole world they had got the numbers! Still remember the story of the shepherd boy and the wolf! Even a three year old boy knows who the liars are! Do you want to let liars and samseng to govern this country?
KPB residents … and all those who voted for them have suffered due to their lies! Who is wearing blinkers? chanjoe or the rest of us?
what BN has done for this country the whole world has witnessed it. Just travel around and you would be thankful to what we have achieved so far by the BN govt! Don’t ever bite the fingers that feed you!
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My dear Indian brothers and sisters. You have no will to come up in life like the Chinese. You prefer to live a simple life like my Malay brothers and sisters. In a way, this is an ideal thought. But, remember people around you are those with money and they want to make more money. Money makes them happy – this is what they think. Leave it to them. Nobody advised you all what to do for the many years you have stayed in this village. Nothing was done by MIC or the former state government to honour anythiing decent to you all. Why? You are poor and nobody cares. Gerakan wanted your number to stay in power. That’s all. Forget the past. Take the offer given to you now. Get a decent house to stay in then decide what your next plan is. Don’t be violent. Don’t act tough. Accept what is given to you. THEN THINK BIG. COME UP IN LIFE LIKE OTHERS. ONLY THEN THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE HIGH RESPECT FOR YOU FOLK. IF YOU CAN’T THEN EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN AND MAKE THEM COME UP IN LIFE. MANY INDIANS HAVE MADE IT IN LIFE LIKE THE CHINESE AND MALAYS. YOU CAN….YOU CAN. Our Malay brothers and sisters are equally poor in the state. Hope they too change their life style and come up in life. The rich Chinese community in Penang should also extend a helping hand to the poor Malays and Indians so that they could live a more decent life. The Chinese will be more respected if they could help uplift the standard of living of the Malays and Indians in Penang. BE PATIENT FRIENDS. PUT UP A SMILE AND GO TO SLEEP. GOD IS ALWAYS WITH THE POOR.
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Vote BN back to power in Penang? Hehehehehe…………..good one guys.
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Basically there wouldn’t be any better deal than to accept the offer. 3 years back, one of my friend was only compensated $40k (for a household of 2 families- after split 20k each) to make way for a bungalow housing project. It’s either take it or leave it deal. So what’s the big fuss now. The 500k is a huge sum. Yes,livelihoods would be disrupted. But not without an upgrade of living standard. This is commendable win-win efforts by the LGE team.
If all else fails, there are ways for the developers to “clear” the land in a jiffy, like what was used to clear the squatters making way for jelutong expressway development by previous government.
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Musnahkan kg buah pala segera….
jangan lg layan penduduk…
musnahkan
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Well said serena
BN is so good. Some of BN achievement:
KBP
PKFZ
Perak saga
istana Toyo..
istana Zakari..
ISA and ISA for reporter
pendatang remark from Ahmad Ismail…
TBH
sub marine deal
collaspe roof in Terenganu stadium
virus infection of new hospital
duit kopi culture
space tourist
mrr2 and many flyerovers that cracked and needed several repairs
finally with BN = harga Barang Naik
Serena calls for revival of mic? Which NGO of you talking about?
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