Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf plans protests outside DAP offices in six states at 4pm over the High Chaparral issue.

Ten Hindraf representatives met Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to hand over the memorandum on problems faced by villagers in Kampung Buah Pala.

Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy’s seven-year-old daughter was also with them.

Lim said that the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government had never approved the demolition of Kampung Buah Pala.

He said any action taken was done by the private developer via a court order.

“We regret the unwarranted, highly irresponsible and irrational action of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) in targeting us over the eviction of the residents.

“Hindraf wants us to act against the court order obtained by the developer to evict the residents. We cannot do this as it is against the rule of law,” he said, adding that suggestions that the state forcibly acquired the land for public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act would be “playing into the hands of the developer”.

“Doing so would lead to the developer reaping enormous profits without putting in a single Sen.

“Cancelling the project would incur costs beyond the financial capability of the state government,” he said, chiding Hindraf for “not being able to distinguish who its friends and opponents are” and being blinded by rage and anger.

“Nonetheless, they have the right to hold a peaceful demonstration no matter how unreasonable it is. I have instructed my officials to accept any memorandum submitted and urge the police not to take and action that would lead to untoward incidents,” he said.

Lim said the state would not be affected by the actions of the residents turning against it and would continue to assist them.

The developer had offered compensation of up to RM200,000 per registered family which Lim said was accepted by “many”.

“But we respect the decision of the remaining residents who choose to fight it out in court. Had we not been sympathetic to their plight, the developer would have evicted them in the middle of last year when the court order was obtained,” he said.

Lim, who questioned whether the movement had been “infiltrated by Barisan Nasional collaborators”, also called on former Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to give a full public explanation on why he sold the land at a “cheap price” of only RM10 per square feet and without consulting the residents.