Kg Buah Pala just won’t leave us alone

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It’s like a bad dream… but it’s more than that. At least with a nightmare, we can soon forget about it. But no matter how hard we try, Kg Buah Pala won’t go away. When an injustice has been perpetrated, it will fester like an open sore, causing the entire body pain and anguish. In our anguish, the questions linger:

Why is it taking so long for the MACC to carry out its investigations after several reports have been lodged?

What is the outcome of the probe into the land deal by the Penang state government’s investigative committee?

Why are Koh Tsu Koon, his former deputies and those in charge of land deals back then not shedding more light into this fiasco? Why was prime land sold for peanuts?

Why is Mohd Faridz Karim, the main shareholder of Asia Link-up Sdn Bhd (the parent company of Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd) keeping very quiet?

How was MPPP permission given before the land title was registered in the name of the Koperasi?

Why is the Koperasi proceeding with its condo development plan with Nusmetro when there is a restriction on the temporary land title forbidding any transactions?

P Gunasegaram, managing editor of Star Biz, raises five other important questions here.

Kg Buah Pala is not just another village. It is also a symbol of what the rest of us have largely lost in the concrete jungles of our age. Here’s a reflection I wrote for Aliran:

Yesterday’s (13 Aug) unsuccessful demolition of Kg Buah Pala revealed how strongly the villagers feel for their homes and the affinity they have for the land.

Women, men and children marched up to confront grunting bulldozers and a menacing demolition team backed by red-helmeted riot police. The developer and his team were clearly taken aback by the resilience and determination the villagers displayed in defending their homes. Full article here.

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Mist
Mist
16 Sep 2009 11.12am

“The residents took their case all the way to the Federal Court … and lost. Therefore, it can be considered they never owned the land. Someone else owns the land. The laws must protect property owners. A responsible govt must apply that strictly. At the same time, a responsible govt must help the poor and the unfortunate. It must be a policy. I feel that the LGE govt has been exemplary in their well-balanced response to the Kg Buah Pala issue by applying whatever pressure they can on the developer in order to gain as much concession as possible for… Read more »

Mist
Mist
16 Sep 2009 10.48am

“if they dont do a good job which I doubt since I can see LGE doesn’t plan to be a 1 term CM, we will know who to vote next GE.” — P And I think that’s part of the problem. If he were to treat every term in office as his last then he would do what is right by his conscient and not what is right for him. If he had made a mistake then admit it but since he want to be the CM again in the next election he would try his best to cover it… Read more »

SangNilaUtama
SangNilaUtama
18 Aug 2009 10.17am

//No doubt most of them are all LEGAL agreements but they are all UNJUST. We need to find solutions for each one of them. And we need to give Pakatan the mandate to do this. It is our duty.// — ghkok

Well said ghkok but the truth is Pakatan HAS the mandate in Penang. PR has to pursue JUSTICE and the only way to do that is to fully investigate the fraudulent land grab and restore the land to the rightful owner. Until then the state govt should use all its powers to stay the demolition of the village.

JoeJambo
JoeJambo
18 Aug 2009 1.40am

Anil, The relevant question is, if the Federal Land Commissioner had indeed taken over the land, does it in any way give the right to the villagers to claim ownership of the land? At the end of the day, if indeed there was fraud, the onus would be on the Federal Land Commissioner to bring an action against the state of Penang as they would have the relevant locus standi as a party with arguable interest over the land. The villagers on the other hand, are nothing more than squatters. You can argue that they have stayed for a hundred… Read more »

ghkok
ghkok
17 Aug 2009 5.52pm

Let’s go back to the “land scam” argument. If we say that it is a “land scam”, I assume that we are in fact saying that the Federal Land Commissioner has unjustly taken possession of the land 50 years ago. Yes they may have LEGALLY taken possession of the land (as per Federal Court decision), however many of us feel that it is UNJUST (not in the “lawful” sense). Now, how do you address something that is UNJUST but not illegal ? You should not be fighting it out in court any further because it has gone as far as… Read more »

LBC
LBC
17 Aug 2009 10.08am

K,
Sure KBP will never die but it will only be flattened.
“LGE and his incompetant exco will be buried in the next GE.” Tell me how to bury Lim GE in the next GE? You think HINDRAF can win? Even one seat also cannot win in Malaysia? How to bury LGE? unless you wan to KTK back in power and marginalised you for another 50 years. He He He

Peter
Peter
17 Aug 2009 9.43am

K said this ,’However, mark my words…KBP will never die. LGE and his incompetant exco will be buried in the next GE’ Well said! If BN is in power the likes of Kpg Buah Pala will not not only be buried but vanish in thin air much faster than you think! DON’t use Buah Pala as a ransom for Penang state. Penangites know the whole episode better! They know that Koh is (ultimately responsible) and yet the Hindraf blames LGE solely for the fiasco. We know that LGE and Ramasamay have done their utmost to get a good deal for… Read more »

people power
people power
17 Aug 2009 9.31am

Yes right, we are all right, both pro LGE and pro villagers. Now pro LGE, for undying support whether it is the truth that we want to accept or the truth that we want to believe. Pro villagers, again the same issue. Simply decipher that applies for both parties, what is the truth and how far has the truth surfaced or allowed to surface for both those parties to ensure that people today those folks in Kg Buah Pala that could be you and me tomorrow will be assured of a fair,just and truthful governance. Isn’t that why we made… Read more »

P
P
17 Aug 2009 7.04am

K and the likes, If LGE would be burried next GE? Har har har.. Who would helm Penang then? Gerakan? Or maybe you? You people are too thick to understand we are living in a real really real world and not in some fantasy fairy tale where everything will work out just perfect, most of the time it’s about COMPROMISE!!!. LGE might not be the best CM in the history of mankind but in my terms and probably for the majority of the Penangites he’s doing a way better job compare to the other ex-CM. I personally saw your spat… Read more »

johanssm / khun Pana
johanssm / khun Pana
17 Aug 2009 5.21am

Why dont you all go down to putarjaya and protest? Cant you all see how najib washes his hand and hands the problem back to Lim GE? This is one of the many dirty tricks to bring down PR. You think Lim GE will sits in his office and not do anything to help? This man went to prison when it was rahim thamby chik who did the raping. It was the feds who “grabbed” the land. It was the feds who transferred it. True, Lim GE did promised . But can LIM GE goes against court’s decision? … Lim… Read more »

anna brella
anna brella
17 Aug 2009 3.46am

“LGE appears to have suffered little political damage because public opinion has turned against the villagers.” Ken I wonder if that is in fact true in everyone’s reality as it seems to be alluded to here. It is often said that a day is a long time in politics. And like everyone else, I suppose even politicians, whether from BN or PR, only get the one real chance to make a good first impression. Moreover, IMO, mud tends to stick harder and for longer the more principled you appear or hold yourself out to be. “Imagine Power To The People”… Read more »

K
K
17 Aug 2009 12.43am

Anil Not sure about you but this issue is certainly a turning point for me as far as the credibility of Civil Society and Pakatan is concerned. Now I realise that the Penangites who had been so “bold” and “vocal” about civil society,heritage and democractic issues have finally bared their true colours. Sadly most of these people proved to be just blind and prinicple-less Pakatan/DAP supporters. Just witness the disgraceful behaviour of Chan Lilian and other citizen reporters in this issue.PHT, which prided as the vanguard of Penang’s heritage, has now turned to be a mere poodle to LGE’s CAT… Read more »

nkkhoo
16 Aug 2009 11.37pm

The final payment was accepted and the land transfer done by civil servants 19 days after the PR govt took over. No approval was needed from LGE or his exco and it’s doubtful they even knew about it at a time when everything was in confusion. It is not true that LGE quickly accepted the payment and expedited the land transfer as the whole deal was completed by civil servants.

===

Fair enough if this is the case.

LGE has to clarify this “powerless” incidence to public members.

prem
prem
16 Aug 2009 9.09pm

KB,for your kind information,I am neither abusing nor bad-mouthing LGE.I have been a blind supporter and contributer towards DAP since last 20 years,hence I have every right to point out the faults of ‘my idol with clay feet’when necessary!!!!THAT IS MY RIGHT AS A VOTER!I still insist that LGE is ‘angel without wings’ and is not sincere in his handling the KBP problem!

RH
RH
16 Aug 2009 8.23pm

If Khir Toyo is the CM for Penang, the villagers would have been evicted long time ago; remember Kg Berembang ?

Amazing Spin
Amazing Spin
16 Aug 2009 6.43pm

ABC,

Just read the Koh Tsu Koon / KBP article on the Malaysia Today link that you highlighted above.

This political eunuch really has no honour.

The greatest service Gerakan can provide to the people of Penang is to fade into oblivion.

Gerakan members should ask themselves how they can have such an irresponsible political eunuch as a leader.

Peter
Peter
16 Aug 2009 5.26pm

nkkhoo, LGE will not loose his seat if you and your family vote BN! Are you from penang? If you are, I suppose you are quote ignorant of sentiments of Penangites towards Kpg Buah Pala issue. Yes, at first most of Penangites were very sympathetic to the villagers. THey want LGE to get the land back by just signing. Now upon learningit was not that simple, their stand soften. They then want LGE and Rama to drive a hard bargain for the villagers. Yes, a very good batgain that they get – a double storey terrace house in Penang! The… Read more »

investor
investor
16 Aug 2009 4.42pm

a bunch of Greedy vagrants that tries to bargain a hard deal with public sympathy. Just follow the law and get on with it.

Ken
Ken
16 Aug 2009 3.04pm

Even if it is a land scam, LGE has no power to override the court and reverse the land transfer, nor does it mean the Federal court revise its ruling. In another case, the Federal court has ruled that if somebody steals a piece of land and sells it to a third party by fraud, the buyers gets to keep the land if he has bought in good faith. This controversial ruling has got many landowners riled up but the ruling still stands and will apply to all future cases. nkkhoo, I believe it’s your misunderstanding of the issue that… Read more »

Justice
Justice
16 Aug 2009 1.27pm

KBP land scam occurs and it occurs (under the watch of people) like Koh Tsu Koon who legalised the sale.

Unless we, the rakyat, hold these (people) accountable, politicians from both BN and PR will think they can indulge in these scams and get away with it.

harry
harry
16 Aug 2009 1.01pm

Anil, Read the Star today pg 33. The probe into KPB land scam dropped according to an Assemblyman(Rayer). strange happening and unbelievable, all this time LGE been saying of a land scam, blaming all and sundry of the previous BN government, having his assistant’ to lodge a report with MACC, and even committing to cancel the DO and file action in courts. It all comes to this ………… one big ‘nothing’. The question in my mind now is whether all this time , we have been mislead by LGE and his merryman. Whilst they been spinning and making the villagers… Read more »

ABC
ABC
16 Aug 2009 11.59am

Finally, Koh Tsu Koon said something on Kampung Buah Pala,

http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/25726/84/

kingking
kingking
16 Aug 2009 11.00am

Prem

If DAP lawyers did not action what about Hindraf and other NGOs lawyers? So what difference between these two groups?

Jeff
Jeff
16 Aug 2009 10.46am

Greedy Sugumaran …

yes,KBP folks know public regards them as bodo,greedy,etc etc.Heritage kunun..

JC
JC
16 Aug 2009 8.06am

The residents had their chance to actually mitigate for a solution on their own. What is sad is the emergence of the lawyer who continue to give “false hopes”. I really hope that the residents will now know that the presence of their lawyer continues to add salt to the wound. I totally agree with GHKOK and hope that this chapter will be closed soon. Politically, the present and past government are to be blamed for their inaction in some parts or another. But, the sentiments on the ground is saying that the entire deal started from a wrong footing… Read more »