A group of residents from Minden Heights in Gelugor held a peaceful protest in support of Kampung Buah Pala residents and called on the Penang government to preserve the village as a state heritage.

However, it was Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairperson M Sugumaran who came under severe fire from several protestors.

They are upset that Sugumaran had met Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng without the knowledge nor consent of the association's committee members and villagers.

buah pala high chaparral vigil 200609 sugumaran They also condemned Sugumaran (left) for apologising on the behalf villagers to Lim for attacking the state government.

They alleged that the state government was playing dirty politics by using 'agents' to divide and rule the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.

The protest was held for about 20 minutes along the main road of Jalan Sultan Azlan in Gelugor under the watchful eyes of policemen.

Historical record will show that Minden Heights once came under the Brown Housing Trust, which also encompasses Kampung Buah Pala.

Referring to this afternoon's brief meeting between Sugumaran and Lim, a protestor T Hareraja alleged that some ‘unknown characters have influenced Sugumaran to sell out the High Chaparral villagers.'

Something fishy going on

Kampung Buah Pala is popularly know among locals as ‘Tamil High Chaparral' due to its population of cowherds, cattle, goats, other live stocks and lively Tamil cultural features.

"I have many friends in High Chaparral. None of them want to move out. They want the state government to preserve their village.

"We also want the village to be preserved as a living Indian heritage," said 26-year-old Hareraja.

NONE Another protestor N Muralisan, 33, (right) said he could not believe that Sugumaran can allow himself to be "turned over" by the state government.

"There is something fishy here," he said.

A ‘High Chaparral' resident at the protest, C Thanaselen, 34, said the villagers did not consent Sugumaran to meet the Chief Minister without the knowledge of the association committee.

He said the committee recently decided to bar any villager to meet state government representatives without the presence of committee members and the village legal adviser Darshan Singh Khaira.

"I cannot believe that Sugumaran can betray us and sell out our rights," said Thanaselen.

Another report lodged with MACC

Kampung Buah Pala residents face eviction from their village, which they and their ancestors have stayed for nearly 200 years, after Aug 2 to pave way for a lucrative condominium project called the Oasis.

Developer, Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd had issued a court's writ of possession on July 2 to the villagers.

The villagers have urged Lim's administration to acquire the land and sell it to them.

penang dcm mansor othman 290609 Aside from the villagers, civil societies and even Pakatan leaders have called on Lim to protect the village as an Indian heritage village.

However, Lim has so far blamed on the previous Barisan Nasional administration for the crisis.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mansor Othman (left) lodged a report at the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC)'s Penang office in George Town this afternoon, alleging malpractice in the land deals pertaining to alienation of Kampung Buah Pala for private development.

This is the second report lodged by the state government in three days on the Kampung Buah Pala land deals.

On Saturday, Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik lodged a police report at city police station making similar allegations.