Developer may compromise over plans for Kampung Buah Pala

(The Star) GEORGE TOWN: Developer Nus- metro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd has for the first time indicated that it may compromise with the state government over its planned development in Kampung Buah Pala.

This followed a meeting between the company’s executive director Thomas Chan and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in Komtar yesterday.

When contacted yesterday, Chan said the company would need a week to look into the proposal offered by Lim.

He declined to reveal the contents of the proposal for the moment.

But he stressed that the Aug 3 demolition date for the houses in the village would not be changed.

On Friday, after meeting the villagers, Lim announced that he would use his executive powers to order the Penang Municipal Council to immediately revoke whatever approvals given previously to the company for the construction of the apartment project.

This, he said, meant that the company could still demolish the houses but it cannot start construction work.

Lim admitted that the decision would result in the state being sued but said “we will make sure that it will be a very long suit.”

He had proposed that the developer consider a proposal to surrender a portion of the land to allow residents to continue living there.

At a function yesterday morning, Lim said the revocation of the approvals meant that the developer “would not be able to place a single brick” on the land.

“We want to impress upon the developer to find a win-win solution,” he said after launching a green initiative forum at a hotel here.