Kampung Buah Pala Houses
GEORGE TOWN: Kampung Buah Pala villagers, who have just received the layout plans for their double-storey houses, have appealed to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for more time to study them.
Association committee member O. Selvaraj said they needed to come up with a counter proposal, and “we do not think we can do that by tomorrow (today).”
“How can we make a decision in such a short span of time?” he asked at a press conference at the village yesterday.
“If our request for time is not granted and they come barging in with bulldozers, it will be a grave mistake as it could turn out to be a lose-lose-lose proposition for all parties.”
He claimed an unidentified woman gave the six-page layout plans to a resident just before the press conference.
Earlier, Lim said the offer of a double-storey terrace house was the “best deal” for the villagers. “Whether they want to accept the deal for the 99-year leasehold property, it is up to them. This is the final solution,” he said.
“If they agree, everything else can be worked out. Otherwise, there will be a stalemate.”
Asked to comment on association assistant secretary C. Tharmaraj’s recent statements slamming the state government for pressuring them, Lim said he just wanted to “move forward” and that those who “made the most noise” were those who had other homes (outside the village) to go back to.
“Certain quarters want to see the village demolished to tarnish Pakatan Rakyat’s (reputation),” he said, before stressing that as Chief Minister, he had never signed any documents with developer Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd or landowner Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang to “rob” the villagers of their land.
Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mansor Othman said the state would not abandon the villagers but would not extend the deadline for them to agree to the proposal either.
Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairman M. Sugumaran said the villagers wanted the double-storey houses to be built first before they vacated their 24 houses.
“If we agree to the offer, the developer will not put priority on building our houses and we will be with no house for at least five years.”
At a meeting between Lim and the villagers on Tuesday night, they received letters from Nusmetro Ventures offering an ex-gratia package which included a 1,200sq/ft double storey house in the village area for every house demolished.
Sugumaran said the residents still preferred a kampung tersusun or planned village.
Category: Penang News
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