Uthayakumar is proficient in manipulating issues and provoking emotions. This time, he could take advantage of the Kampung Buah Pala controversy to promote his new party. It is like a gift falling from the sky!
By TAY TIAN YAN/ Translate by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily
The Kampung Buah Pala dispute is a typical example of urban development contradictions. However, it may turn into a racial issue if it is not carefully handled.
There has been a rumour spreading around the village and even the Indian community: “The Chinese state government and the Malay developer are seizing the Indians’ land.”
Of course it is nonsense. But such simple and sensational logic would easily incite the people.
Kampung Buah Pala is a historical village as it was built 150 years ago when the British East India companies brought in Indian workers. Its villagers were plantation workers and cattlemen.
From the cultural perspective, it is a microcosm of the Indian immigrant community, which has a certain historical value.
However, just like other places, it is facing the development problem. The former state government has given permission to the developer to build apartments here. But the project was opposed by the residents and Indian associations.
The then opposition DAP supported the residents and pleaded to retain the village.
The hardest part of commitments would be how to fulfill them. Perhaps, DAP had never thought of how to fulfil it when they made the commitment.
Several months ago, the developer obtained a court order and the controversy broke out when the developer officials came to the village.
The situation turned tenser when the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) stepped in. Perhaps, Hindraf has its own agenda. Its spiritual leader P. Uthayakumar is soon going to form a political party.
Uthayakumar is proficient in manipulating issues and provoking emotions. This time, he could take advantage of the Kampung Buah Pala controversy to promote his new party. It is like a gift falling from the sky!
It launched a protest asking the state government to forcibly acquire the land for public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act and compensate the developer to get back Kampung Buah Pala for the villagers.
It is imposing a difficult task on the state government. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that such a move will bankrupt the state government.
Lim asked the federal government to acquire the land from the cooperative and the developer as it was the former state government that started the issue.
We can imagine that the federal government will say: “What is it to do with me?”
Lim will have to face the reality and find out a feasible way to resolve the problem. Otherwise, he will have to face a counterattack from the Indian community.
In order to resolve the dispute, they should first prevent the issue being racialised and prepare for a balanced plan in terms of the development prospective, the rights and interests of the residents, as well cultural preservation.
For example, as they have to respect the developer’s legal status, they may give the residents reasonable compensations and build a cultural relic. Perhaps, it is an approach acceptable to all the parties.
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