Mahmud Yusoff, who grew up in Kg Tanjung Tokong in Penang, shares with us his thoughts on the uncertain future facing the villagers:
I was born and grew up in the kampung until Form Five and later left for further studies and work in KL; so my heart is never far from developments in the kampung i.e. through regular visits and involvement in local NGOs for the sake of villagers’ rights…
Back in 1974, the federal government (during the leadership of the late Tun Razak) decided to develop Tanjong Tokong through the Urban Development Authority (Uda). Thus, the state government transferred 48 acres of the land for a token RM1. The traditional villagers who have been there for the last 200 years were declared “squatters” through Uda’s affidavit filed in the Penang High Court on 10 December 2008. Are they doing justice to the villagers?
As mentioned in the Penang Land Office’s letter ref. Bil: (44) dlm. PTG/PM/DTL/76 dated 13 February 1984, the land transfer was on condition “the land hereby alienated shall be used solely for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and renewal of Tanjong Tokong village”. Lawyers argued over the condition, which did not necessarily mean a revamp of the village into totally high-rise housing/commercial projects.
Can’t we consider the rehabilatation, reconstruction and renewal of the kampung so that it provides a more presentable image that could be a living heritage with a touch of tourism, village industries, and home-stay? If we could maintain (definitely with some improvement) Weld Quay and Little India as they are, why not Tanjong Tokong village (i.e. the oldest village on the fringe of George Town)?
Uda was “rewarded” with another 52 acres of coastal reclaimed land (adjacent to E & O’s Sri Tanjong Pinang Development) by the previous state government, where high-end condominiums, terrace houses (under construction) and a commercial complex (in planning stage) are in the pipeline. Uda should also build low- and medium-cost flats within that area to ease the plight of the real “squatters” and new young families who reside in Tanjong Tokong Village. Isn’t that an option to solve the problem?
Several meetings and presentations have been made to the PR state government, even to LGE, about the Tanjong Tokong villagers’ (not the real “squatters” or imported residents) aspirations through the Persatuan Penduduk Tanjung Tokong. Having saying that, during the rule of the BN government, memorandums submitted and several meetings resulted in the projects being delayed – but the real voice of Tanjong Tokong residents has still not been ‘properly’ heard.
The next step, without neglecting the PR state government’s assistance and cooperation, is to seek a meeting with the late Tun Razak’s son so that he can consider the Persatuan Penduduk Tanjong Tokong’s proposals through a new memorandum to be submitted soon.
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Huh? Hang buta bahasa comment??
Hang tak belajar atau rejek apa apa dari Melayu ala sikap gerakan nak kuaq Melayu dari Penang?
elok lah gerakan kalah langsung, duduk di malaysia buta bahasa, apa ke jenis bangsa malaysia?
Gerakan boleh belah !!!!
I learnt from NNKhoo, I’m blind with bahasa comment. Until now, no PR supporter able to defend LGE refusal to declassify Kg Buah Pala exco minute and recording so that KTK can debate with LGE.
Musnahkan kampung melayu atas nama electronics.
Visi yang chong eu ingat bijak tetapi kami melayu
bersuara dalam ge2008.
Gerakan K, anda boleh belah dgn ktk kelau je dari Penang. ktk, … tak tunai janji.
belah!!
Gerakan K
Kenapa takut Msia jadi islamic state?
Takut tak dapat rasuah, tangan dipotong ke?
Anda jahil dan kolot tak tahu apa itu Islam.
Gerakan K
sudah lah…parti anda dah mampus.
kami dah bosan dgn gerakan tidur sekatil dgn umno past 38years. apa yang ada sekarang adalah kerosakan gerakan terhadap Melayu Penang.
Elok ktk keluar penang je.
Tak malu, elok taj payah jadi senator, sampai PM kena masukkan Idris.
ktk hanya tau bodek, bodek…
Boleh belah Gerakan.
We do not vote gerakan for the damage done in penang making its one race unipolar.
IT? millions of jobs?
For who????
gerakan K, you are just like others in gerakan who dont know why poor malays dont vote gerakan in ge2008.
One thing we all should realised is that the so called devlopments in Penang since the day of KTK until now are the products of peicemeal efforts of developers. Until now the state government continue to abdicate its responsibility to provide a properly planned redevelopments that meet the aspiration and need of the people. We continued to witness unsustainable development sprouting up across the state, we never learn from the tsunami tragedy. Our politicians seem to be proud of all the encroachment to our beaches/ mangroves in the name of DEVELOPMENT. Our politicains disregard whether they are from BN or… Read more »
I think LGE has something to hide in this Kg Buah Pala issue…. Reason: 1)LGE refuse to declassify minute/recording of exco meetings (I mean all, including KTK’s time). Can some PR supporters tell me why? … to cover up any malicious decision/directive towards the residents? 2)Because LGE refuse to declassify these important information (as condition for debate by KTK), LGE has a reason to avoid debate with KTK. Is LGE a coward? My anwser: yes 3)LGE refuse to meet with Kg Buah Pala residents provided they do not bring along a lawyer. What is LGE intention? My anwser: we know… Read more »
GK! Don’t talk big ab KTK.
He is selfish.He once was a highly
respected person.
When he fixed conditions for the
open debate with LGE he’s now cosidered
a coward.
You just wait GK.This debate is
not going to happe.
Goodness me. Is that what Gerakan can come up with??????
RM 75,00 more than a RM 500,000 terrace house. I am really confused….
To defend paddy field in Penang? Let’s be rational. Kedah already a dedicated state for our rice supply. Land is limited in Penang. Penang is wellknown internationally because of electronic industry. Even global PC, harddisk makers and Microsoft attracted to Malaysia because of efforts to promote IT industry. Malaysia can’t be an advanced state with paddy fields and villages. IT industry creates millions of jobs and enhancing our reputation internationally.
KSK Gerakan Party already history at Penang lah and our Gerakan K(Kiasu) tak tau dari mana Penang bawa BMW baru berlagak… I also drive a Mercedes you now(the Mercedes lori bawa balak)… Buck up Gerakan K…..
Back to Tg Tokong, I hope the PR government will try to prevent some portion of this tradition village for our generation.
Gerakan K,
If BN had ruled Penang now, the next last kampong to be wiped out is kampong permatang damar laut.
Just imagine the land for flats at teluk kumbar was supposedly to be the pampasan for the population of this kampong. It never take off yet….but the idea was blessed by koh tsu koon in the holy name called airport extension to bring down this massive plane called 777 eerrr…eerrr ..missioned by Umno.
Do we need such big budget for airport when our public transport is stinking poor?
Gerakan are the ones wiped out all kampunns and padi field in bayan baru in the holy name of electronics.
What year was that Gerakan K?
Are you born in 1972?
Gerakan wiped out kampong tg tokong.
Gerakan wiped out kampong batu uban.
Gerakan………….
All this crusades in the holy name of development
facilitated by UMNO penang.
Gerakan K, what are you talking about??
Gerakan K
wake up! kg tg tokong was mess up under gerakan and umno from mid 1980s.
get your facts rite, dont point cm lge, you start pointing at lim chong eu, koh tsu koon and all umno.
wake up!!
To : Mahmud Yusoff Pls get PM to talk to UDA especially Tun Daim and geng. This super rich Malays a shoud have some brains to preserve the kampong meaning kampong tersusun fit for kampong warisan and tourism to generate income. When Khazanah eyeing Campbell Street for heritage, cant PM think about this application for kampong Tg Tokong. It would be better to build kampong warisan on E&O reclaimed land as better price land and better tersusun. We cannot see one by one kampong wipe out in the holy crusade called development from BN adminstration and LGE although drafting Heritage… Read more »
Leave this fellow Gerakan K alone, he is obviously someone who is bent on going against everyone. The more you talk about him, the more he responds. Just ignore him and soon he will get tired and stop this unnecessary barrage. But the bottom line is that KSK was a CM that sold out Penang, the stretch of road to Batu Feringhi, now it is like a builders paradise, the true paradise that it use to be is lost forever and it all happened during Gerakan/BN’s time. What a shame, we have lost many things forever becoz we had someone… Read more »
KTK sold out Penang? Not really. He did not pocketed money from development. Why not you just compare Penang with Kelantan? In Kelantan you will notice that there is not much difference back to 20 years ago. No development in Kelantan. Most green lung intact. Very dormant economy in Kelantan. The younger ones forced to work in KL. Is that indicator of good government? How can we keep everything untouched when pursuing for better quality of living standard? I give you one example, given a choice do you prefer sourcing water from well or water pipe? Piped water is a… Read more »
My country is Malaysia Gerakan.. What are you. Read the history. Where did you come from???
I’m Malaysian with blue ic.
A real racist….
This is clear example of comment that need to deleted by blog owner. What are you trying to say?
This Gerakan K is a desperado. Because gerakan was completely wipe out in the 12 GE in Penang…. He is banging LGE & PR to release steam. He’s living in dreamland, dreaming Gerakan will rule Penang come 13GE. All you LGE & PR supporters out there, ignore this G.K guy. Let him comment & comdemn… No cure, he’s a die hard Gerakan man. Maybe he was one of the ex-exco or assemblyman who’s trying to vent his frustration on all the voters who supported PR.
Excuse me, we are discussing Malaysia internal affair. You as people of People Republic Of China (as indicated in your name), please don’t meddle into our internal affair. I don’t critize your country, eg China human right affair, please spare us.
Gerakan K, get the hell out of Penang. We don’t need people like you. Penangites are sick of gerakan, not they can do except polish umno…
Anilnetto true face has been surfaced. Non of comment guideline stated that all comments must not say something negative to LGE or PR. What is the difference between MCMC intention to censor online dissent with anilnetto.com blog that bars any negative comment towards LGE or PR? Freedom of information and free speech? Independent news? What constitute nonsense? Federal government take over by PR in September 16 is nonsense or not? Kg Buah Pala villagers are greedy because to demand RM3.2 million is nonsense or not? Who will be the judge? Is that anything pro-PR will be regared as non non-sense?… Read more »
Yang, you are a classic example of quality will eventually prevail over quantity when truth emerges.
Keep at it, see how long before the truth surfaces in your facade because you can never defeat the truth alike all the other man made issues that only holds its water for our individual need as oppose to the society that we intend to create. Wish you well my fellow Malaysian.
Tanjung Tokong was a beautiful fishing village area and before the land reclamation was done, you could see a natural sand spit going out to sea, formed by the tides. There was also a mangrove forest growing just by the promenade that ran along the road opposite Tanjung Tokong village proper. The fisherman used to anchor their boats in the lagoon formed by the curve in the sand spit. I’ve lived near there since I was 10 years old and will never forget that beautiful sight or the feel of the wind from the sea. I used to sit there… Read more »
Gerakan K, I am a supporter of DAP and PR but I do not fear them or LGE. Unlike KTK who fear UMNO, LGE do not fear any component parties in the PR coalition. Unless you come to this blog to wreck havoc you are never sincere in debating rationally. That why we need to use uncivilized words to uncivilized people like you. Take for example, when KTK was CM, UMNO Ahmad Said barged in to attend a Council meeting although he was not a Councilor. The President asked him to leave and he refuse. He then telephone UMNO head… Read more »