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Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman (left) has pledged to reveal another case of Malay village land being sold to a private developer by Umno leaders.
Mansor said this was similar to the case of Kampung Terang in Balik Pulau where two Umno leaders were criticised for allegedly making a quick profit by selling a plot belonging to the Malay community, which the duo had denied.
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Mansor cited other instances where the previous state government disposed of land, resulting in the eviction of villagers, including in Kampung Buah Pala, Sungai Nibong, and several plots in Seberang Perai.
“It has become a trend for developers to do this – evicting residents without proper compensation – but we have managed to resolve these problems as the current administration is sensitive to these issues.
“It is their (developers) right to claim their land. They can get a court order to do it but it is also the right of the state government not to develop the land. So, please discuss with us and don’t be driven by incitement,” he added.
“Umno couldn’t help”
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“They went to Umno and when they found themselves in trouble with no help, then they came to us,” he lamented during the meeting, which was also attended by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim was accompanied by state assemblypersons S Raveentharan (Batu Uban), Sim Tze Tzin (Pantai Jerejak), PAS land and development bureau chief Iszuree Ibrahim and state PKR strategy bureau director Cheah Kah Peng.
The developer’s lawyer, in the eviction letters, said discussions with the villagers, which began three years ago, have been concluded and that the villagers had rejected the developer's offer.
In his speech, Raveentharan said he was in discussion with the developer’s lawyer to ensure that the 700sq-ft replacement housing units were secured.
The offer includes RM6,000 to move out and in again plus RM500 per month as rental during the construction period.
“Twenty-two families out of 48 refused the offer as they are questioning the transit houses. I will personally see to it that the matter gets resolved,” Raveentharan added.
Batu Uban, a living heritage
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“In the spirit of Aidilfitri, I urge both parties to renegotiate within a time frame and this time, to commit the agreement on paper as that at least will assure the villagers and provide a sense of certainty,” he added when met after the session.
Earlier this year, Umno Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad was in the forefront, lobbying for Batu Uban to be gazetted as a “living heritage”area and calling for any development in the area to be halted.
Farid had said he would approach Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim and Heritage Department commissioner Zuraina Majid to see if the proposed heritage village status could become a reality.
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