The problems facing the Kampung Buah Pala residents should be viewed in its proper perspective.

First and foremost, the residents are now illegal squatters and have no rights whatsoever to remain stubborn in their resolve that the state government give them the title to the property.

Secondly, since the land had been alienated by the previous government under Koh Tsu Koon and sold to the present owner, the land has now become private property of the new owner.

And thirdly, the residents lost their legal battle in court last year, and the new owner has every right under the law to forcibly evict them.

Therefore what is Hindraf fighting for? That the Indian settlers be given title to the property they have illegally occupied for a long time?

Is it not the same if a stranger forcibly enters your premise and refuses to be evicted and later demands the title to your property?

The fundamental question revolves around the rights of the squatters and the rights of the landowner.

Do the squatters have the right to illegally squat on private or government land and later demand that they be given ownership of the property?

The simple answer to the whole issue is that the squatters have no right whatsoever to demand anything and Hindraf has no business defending a lost cause premised on the illegality of their occupation of the land.

Even if the land had not been sold (albeit cheaply to a private owner), and had the property remained with the government, the squatters would still have to be evicted for occupying state property illegally.

Just imagine the consequence of giving the illegal settlers title to the property that they had illegally occupied.

That would have opened the floodgates for other squatters to adopt the same strategy to occupy state and private land without due regard to the ownership of the property.

That would certainly create chaos and uncertainty in the whole property market.

Perhaps what is of more importance, is for the MACC to investigate the whole nature of the transaction and determine whether there is any hanky panky or culpability in the deal to dispose of the leasehold land at below market price,.

The deal happened during the term of Koh Tsu koon and he has to answer for his decision. The present government of Lim Guan Eng cannot be held responsible in any way and can be absolved of any blame.

If Hindraf cannot see these issues clearly, then they have no business defending anybody .