In their last-ditch bid to save their village, Kg Buah Pala villagers have now turned to Umno.
Gelugor Umno division chairman Omar Faudzar has reportedly agreed to hold talks with the developer (Nusmetro) and the landowner (the Koperasi) on Tuesday.
With this, the Buah Pala villagers have now tried almost every avenue available to them – the Pakatan state government, Hindraf, MIC, PSM, Jerit, the Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party, the Federal Court, the DPM and now Umno – as they struggle against all odds to save their village. The only parties they have not approached – as far as I know – are Gerakan (Koh Tsu Koon) and MCA.
In a way, the Kg Buah Pala saga has now come full circle. It was the BN government in Penang that approved the sale of the land (with the final payment made on 14 March 2008, after the Pakatan took over, while the temporary land title was registered on 27 March 2008).
Can the Buah Pala village be saved from demolition? Will Umno and the BN make a dramatic gesture and intervene in an attempt to recover lost Indian Malaysian support for the BN?
Meanwhile, the Koperasi has ceased updating its blog since 11 August.
The village has nine days to go before it is due for demolition.