Eviction deadline extended by a month
(NST) – There was no shortage of venom against state government leaders, especially Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, as furious residents vented their anger over the Kampung Lorong Buah Pala issue.
A lawyer representing the group even went to the extent of chiding Pakatan Rakyat leaders who had promised to fight for the residents to the end.
Darshan Singh Khaira took a dig at Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer’s infamous “over my dead body” pledge, demanding for one now.
“We are also ready to prepare two graves,” he said at Komtar yesterday where the residents gathered to meet Lim but were left disappointed over his no show.
Darshan also accused Lim of lying to the public in his press releases over the issue.
“There has never been any RM200,000 compensation to the residents.
“In fact, I have a letter here dated Aug 17, 2007 from the landowner, offering compensation of between RM75,000 and RM90,000 to the chief tenants and house owners respectively,” he said, questioning Lim’s source of information.
Darshan also questioned why Lim was unable to show up when his administration was facing such an important issue.
“They (Pakatan Rakyat politicians) had all personally visited the residents at their homes in the village during the general election, soliciting for votes.
“Why are they running away now, ignoring us? Is this what CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) is about?” he asked.
Lim’s failure to turn up to face the residents and accept their memorandum in person aused the residents to flare up and they lashed out at his political secretary Ng Wei Aik, who had been instructed to meet them.
“We are not interested to talk to your mandur (office boy). We just want to talk to CM,” the residents said to Ng, whose facial expression changed immediately.
The residents, seeing the change, said: “You don’t have to get emotional when we are the ones who are going to be kicked out of our homes.”
Ng, who appeared helpless, could only inform the unhappy residents that Lim had other commitments at the time.
When the situation got rowdy, police stepped in and gave them five minutes to disperse, which they did but were later invited to the 5th floor of Komtar.
There, the crowd continued to wait for Lim but he again failed to show up.
After a nearly three-hour wait, Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman showed up and told the crowd that the developer had agreed to extend the eviction deadline by another month.
He also pledged a thorough investigation into the people’s claims.
The crowd finally agreed to hand over the memorandum to Mansor.
They also passed three resolutions during their five-minute meeting with Mansor:
• that the state government stop all intending eviction and demolition of the houses in Kampung Lorong Buah Pala;
• that the state government identify alternative sites for the developer and to gazette Kampung Lorong Buah Pala as a heritage Indian settlement; and
• to have three of their members on an investigation committee chaired by Mansor.
