Down it comes: A couple of workers from the developer’s office demolishing one of the houses in Kampung Buah Pala.
Final decision: Lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira (third from left) and former ISA detainee P. Uthayakumar (third from right) speaking to Kampung Buah Pala residents outside the courtroom in Putrajaya Friday. The people have vacate their kg. The land sell is legal.
Rising tension: Ho (right) being surrounded by Kg Buah Pala supporters and residents over the demolition of a house in the village. Nusmetro director Gary Ho at the far right corner.
The 11 remaining temporary occupation licence (TOL) holders of Kampung Buah Pala now want to accept the developer’s double-storey house offer.
They have asked to be given the ex-gratia offer -- which was taken up by the other holders -- again during a meeting on Wednesday night, said developer Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd executive director Thomas Chan.
The meeting was attended by Chan, the village committee members and representatives of landowner Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang.In an immediate response, residents association chairman M. Sugumaran, one of the 11 TOL holders yet to sign on the ex-gratia deal, said they had always wanted to accept the offer -- provided terms and conditions were fully spelled out in black and white.
“We will probably arrange a meeting for them with the state government tomorrow (Saturday). A lot will depend from the outcome of the negotiation before we can build additional houses,” he said. Initial 24 house now 33 house. Additional house will require approval from government.
He added they could seek assistance from deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, who is in charge of the matter.
He said they would submit a new development plan by next week.
“Once it is approved, we anticipate the 33 houses to be ready in two years time,” he said.
Chan also said the state government had set a bad precedent over the Kampung Buah Pala land issue by raising the expectation of squatters in Penang.
“It is no longer a RM75,000 low-medium cost house that they want as settlement. They want double-storey houses now.
“This move has create issues in several areas like Tanjung Tokong and Mak Mandin where squatters are expecting more from the developers or land owners,” he said.
Chan said the demolition of houses at the village will continue on Saturday. He hoped there would not be any more repeat of Thursday’s high drama, when police detained 18 people, of whom only five were from the village. They were later released on police bail.
----------------
---------------
