Civil society groups in Penang today demanded the Pakatan Rakyat government to stipulate a time frame it would need to complete its probe into the alleged Kampung Buah Pala shoddy land deal done by the previous Barisan Nasional administration.

Responding on the state executive council's decision yesterday to probe into the deal, Suara Rakyat Malaysia activist Kris Khaira said the affected villagers, some 300 Indian Malaysians, needed to know the time period to end their predicament caused by a lucrative township development on their settlement.

penang kampung buah pala 110609 05 "The villagers cannot be on the alert and standby all the time to protect their village from demolition.

"The state government should immediately order the developer not to carry out any eviction and demolition works at the settlement.

"At the same time, it should also reveal when its investigation into the alleged land scam will be ready," he said today as Kampung Buah Pala residents stood guard at their village to prevent any demolition attempt by the developer.

This was echoed by Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) activist Choo Chon Kai, who called on the state government to alienate another land for the development and spare the village from demolition.

Penang Heritage Trust manager Magdeline Ng concurred that the state government should preserve the village which boasted a traditional Tamil Hindu living culture and lifestyle.

The village residents' association assistant secretary C Tharmaraj welcomed the probe, saying that the state government can halt the development project if investigations proved that the land alienation was tainted with fraudulence.

He said that the state government should first caveat the land and start the probe.

"The state government should also immediately order the developer against any demolition work," he told Malaysiakini .

Villagers on standby

He added the state government should also initiate dialogue sessions among all parties to negotiate an amicable solution.

penang kampung buah pala condominium project macc report 090609 01 Tharmaraj made it clear that the villagers want the village to be gazetted as a heritage human cultural site.

"We are having sleepless nights worrying about our homes.

"The state government should be pro-active to address our plight and end the dilemma," he said.

On May 11, the Court of Appeal issued an eviction order on the villagers to move out from their village today.

Although legally the demolition work cannot be carried out pending their appeal, fear has gripped the residents that they would be forced to evict their traditional homes.

Yesterday the state government warned the developer of being overzealous to evict the villagers and demolish their houses. But the villagers nevertheless were not taking any chances.

Some 100 villagers, including senior residents, women and children, stood guard from as early as 6am today to prevent any attempt by the developer, Umno-linked Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd, to demolish their homes.

They spotted a lorry arriving at the village at 8.45am, apparently to unload concrete bricks at the village site.

However, after a few minutes of negotiations between the villagers and the driver, the lorry left the place without unloading the bricks.

Some 65 families and their ancestors have been living in Kampung Buah Pala in Bukit Gelugor, a quiet settlement located in heart of rapidly developing eastern part of George Town, for nearly 200 years.

penang kampung buah pala p ramasamy pc 090609 01 The eviction order today followed the appellate court's order last month after the developer appealed to overturn an earlier High Court decision last October which favoured the villagers.

Aside from appealing to the Federal Court to overturn the Court of Appeal's decision, the affected residents also want the DAP-led Pakatan government to stop the project.

The villager residents association has also lodged a graft report to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday alleging fraud in the land alienation exercise carried out by the northeast district land office two years ago.

State rep gives assurance

Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer, who arrived at the village at about 11am, assured the villagers that the state government was committed to resolve the issue amicably and protect the villagers' interests and rights.

kampung buah pala 110609 "The villagers need not worry. The developer cannot demolish the village without the state's consent," he assured.

Lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira, who lives nearby, condemned the previous BN government for selling out the people's rights, interests and benefits.

"The previous government transferred the land without considering the villagers' plight and well being," he said, adding that it was within the current state government's power to stop the development and order a review.

However, he alleged that the current government was trying wash off its hands because "the problem was not its baby".

"It does not want to do it because the Pakatan administration is also pro-developer and wants to abdicate their duties," he claims.