Contractor has no right to demolish homes, says rep

VILLAGERS of Kampung Lorong Buah Pala in Bukit Gelugor, Penang, had a rude shock when a contractor threatened to demolish their homes yesterday morning.
Kampung Lorong Buah Pala action committee secretary J. Steven, 40, said he immediately called Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N Rayer as the residents were worried.

“At 9am, the contractor, who was escorted by a group of police personnel, came and wanted to demolish the houses. How can this be when our injunction application against them is still pending in court?

“We immediately contacted Rayer who came with Batu Maung assemblyman Abdul Malik Kassim and Ba-tu Uban assemblyman Raveen Tharan. They managed to get the group to leave after about two hours of negotiations,” he said, urging Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to take a “serious look” into the villagers’ plight.

Residents of Kampung Lorong Buah Pala gathering to hear out the police officer.
Rayer said the contractor had no right to demolish the houses, as no court order was granted.

A police spokesman said personnel were deployed to the scene to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
“We were there purely for security and nothing else,” he said.

Kampung Lorong Buah Pala comprises 33 houses. The residents, who have been staying in the area for decades, received a notice on Aug 30 last year asking them to move out so that their houses could be demolished and cleared although negotiations for compensation were ongoing.