Residents and their supporters stand off with riot police as they tried to prevent a demolition team from pulling down their homes
Plans foiled: Villagers being prevented from entering the state administration office at Komtar yesterday.
-Police personnel trying to restrain angry Kg Buah Pala residents on Thursday.
Police detained 18 people, including three women and the villagers' lawyer Dharshan Singh.
The tractors finally moved in and four houses came down.
It was D(emolition)-Day again at Kampung Buah Pala on Thursday with the villagers realising it would be futile to stop their houses from being torn down.
They, however, managed to take out their frustrations at developer Nusmetro Ventures Sdn Bhd director Gary Ho over how many houses would be demolished.
Policemen had to escort workers from house to house to carry out the demolition as earlier the villagers blocked tractors from entering the village.
Below is an account of what transpired:(Source the star)
2.02pm: Workers and light strike force team start to leave village. Only three houses and one room of the fourth house were demolished.
1.50pm: Gary Ho says that only four houses will be demolished today while the rest would be demolished in the coming week.
1.20pm: Workers move on to house No 481, which has been vacated. The owner allows them in without incident.
All three houses were vacated by the owners earlier.
Demolition work starts on the fourth house 473 where the residents have not vacated.
Only a room located outside the house has been torn down.
1.16pm: Workers move out of house No 486, stopping to break down the gate with sledge hammers on their way out. Third house to be demolished now.
1.03pm: The rain peters out to a slight drizzle.
12.58pm: They arrive at House No 486 and workers begin demolishing the house.
12.55pm: Police and the light strike force advance up the road, escorting demolition workers. They meet little resistance because of the rain.
12.50pm: Heavy rain begins, curious onlookers disperse. Those who remain are mainly police and media.
12.45pm: Police stay put on road to village while residents retreat into the village.
12.40pm: At least 14 people were detained including lawyer Darshan Singh and three women.
Light strike force team escorting court officials was obstructed by the people.
12.30pm: The villagers, supporters and MIC youth members are lining up at the entrance of the village obstructing the light strike force team.
One person has been detained by police for obstruction.
12.20pm: Villagers release goats and gather to block the entrance chanting anti-DAP slogans as they blame the state government for their demolition.
12.10pm: Crowd gets restless as police try to restore order. They start chanting “developer balik” as their representatives, developer and bailiff hold discussions in police mobile station on more demolitions.
Villagers’ lawyer Dharshan Singh arrives telling the crowd that the developer has no right to demolish the houses and the crowd gets more worked up.
11.20am: While demolition of house number 467 continues, other villages who fear their homes would be demolished next, appeal to Thomas Chan who is standing outside a mobile police station to save their homes.
10.36am: House 467 is believed to be demolished as sounds of house being broken can be heard by press members who are barred from entering the village.
10.31am: Police lead five contractors with sledgehammers into the village to house number 467 to demolish it.
10.20am: Police discuss with Sugumaran and resident association assistant secretary C. Tharmaraj and urged villagers to keep to their word given to the developer.
The police also asked MIC youth chief T. Mohan to stop party youth members from creating further fracas such as stopping the tractors.
10.15am: Gary Ho is rescued by the police.
10.10am: Tractors start to move in after several villagers agree for the developer to help in the demolition works.
However, due to ignorance about an agreement made to demolish the houses, some other villagers and supporters tried to stop the tractors.
Some also wanted to attack Gary Ho. The police light strike force steps in to maintain order.
10.07am: Villagers outside house number 467 come to an agreement with the police on the demolition.
Still unclear who will break the houses as the police ask reporters to leave the area.
9.55am: Nusmetro director Gary Ho arrives with house keys. He appeals to the residents not to delay the demolition process.
Residents and developer are still debating on who should conduct the demolition of the two houses.
9.30: Sugumaran said the villagers want to demolish the two houses themselves.
They marched to the houses. Villagers and supporters blocked the press entering the village and a scuffle breaks out.
9.20am: Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairman M. Sugumaran met Nusmetro Venture executive director Thomas Chan and later informed the press that two families had agreed for their homes to be demolished as they had accepted compensation and handed over their house keys to the developer.
8.30am: Two mobile police stations and three police vans arrive at Kampung Buah Pala.
Demolition of houses stated to take place today.
7.30 am: MIC youths and residents line-up to block entrance.
More than 20 contractors with hammers and crowbars ready to move into the village.
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The highly controversial eviction of Kampung Buah Pala villagers started today as developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd moved in to tear down houses of owners who had agreed to relocate.
The demolition job started with a house whose owner had accepted compensation in the form of an alternate house and a relocation cost. The owner voluntarily handed over his house keys to the developer.
Under the watchful eye of the police and the residents association committee, the demolition team moved in to tear down this house. Some hours later, a second house was also torn down.
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