KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The MIC will deposit the RM3.2 million premium for the return of the affected land in Kampung Buah Pala in Penang Pinang with the party's lawyers, MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu said Tuesday.
He said that when the Penang government was ready to hand over the land to the Kampung Buah Pala villagers, the the party's lawyers would make the payment to the state government.
"I have instructed MIC's lawyers to write to the state government and Chief Minister (Lim Guan Eng) to get the land matter cleared. The lawyers will transmit the money when the land is approved," he said in a statement here.
Samy Vellu said that in any land deal, the money would only be paid after the land had been transacted or the documents for the transaction were ready.
"Here, we have a chief minister telling us to pay first and then let's talk," he said, adding that the MIC would keep its word and urged Lim to do the same.
Samy Vellu said he was very surprised over Lim's statement that the MIC was "bluffing" when it said that it would pay the RM3.2 million premium.
"I respect him as a young dynamic person. It is unfortunate that he can say anything that suits his purpose for the moment and be willy nilly when the table turns.
"We have to see what Lim had to say about Bukit Cina in Melaka and compare with what he is doing with Kampung Buah Pala," he added.
The DAP, of which Lim is the secretary-general, had resolved the Bukit Cina issue in 1984 and Lim was quoted as saying that it showed the DAP's priority in preserving important culture and heritage over development projects for the sake of private gain.
Samy Vellu said the MIC also wanted to save Kampung Buah Pala to preserve the Indian culture and heritage.
He urged the state government not to take the people for a ride as the land was transferred during Lim's time as chief minister and not by the previous state government.
