The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has come under fire for demolishing a house occupied by a septuagenarian in Lengkok Sungai Gelugor, George Town last Thursday.

Bernama

had quoted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as questioning the council, saying he disagreed with the action as the people might infer that bigger houses were spared from demolition.

If there were technical glitches, there were ways to solve them, he reasoned, according to the news agency.

"Nevertheless, if there is an MPPP councillor from Pakatan Rakyat involved (in the demolition), I will ensure his term is not extended.

"This is because, that person is not sensitive to the problems of the grassroots," Bernama quoted him, as he urged the state government to investigate the matter.

He was referring to a newspaper report which said that the MPPP had demolished the front structure of a house, more than a century old, belonging to Mariam Tahir, 72.

However, MPPP officials have stated that only the front portion of the house - an illegal extension - was demolished, not the entire house, after the local councils received numerous complaints from a neighbour.

The neighbour, according to an official, had been making his grievances known for several years.

Notice given

According to the MPPP, the senior citizen has been given prior notice of the partial demolition, although Bernama report stated otherwise.

According to Penang Insight , which had stated the chronology of events leading to the partial demolition, said that the exercise had been held back, after being officially urged by the Sungai Pinang assemblyperson Koid Teng Guan.

Anwar, the MP for Permatang Pauh, was speaking to reporters after giving a keynote address at a discourse 'Islam and the Malays: Dignity of the Ummah and Sovereignty of the People' in conjunction with the state-level Maal Hijrah celebration in George Town.

Also present were Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Abdul Rahman Abbas, Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Osman, state religious affairs, domestic trade and consumer affairs committee chairperson Abdul Malik Abul Kasim and state assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussain.

Additional reporting by Susan Loone.