Tuesday, August 4, 2009

What will happen to Kampung Buah Pala?

By Lilian Chan

A lot of questions were being asked and many are still asking the same questions until today. So, I take the liberty of downloading the exclusive interview Maran Perianen of Malaysiakini had with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on July 15, 2009 and uploaded it to my Facebook.


(if the video doesn’t show up, it means Facebook site is down)

Tomorrow (Monday) will be the D-day. Will the landowner Koperasi and the developer Nusmetro send bulldozers to demolish the houses there? Will the supporters of Kampung Buah Pala lie in the path of the bulldozers? Will there be tear gas and water canon courtesy of FRU? Will Special Branch nabbed all those who made mischief?

My fellow citizen journalist from Ipoh who is a Hindraf supporter talked to me over the phone just now. He joked with me to make sure I video him if he has to sleep on the road to prevent the demolition. We are going to be there. I will be there because I don’t want anything bad to happen to those adorable Indian old ladies who were so sweet to me. To me, SOME of the people living there deserves our moral support. Like Uncle I-Pasu (not sure if that’s how his name is spelt) who walked with a limp. He is a newspaper delivery man. He said, “Saya sudah tua, kalau kasi saya satu rumah, pun cukup lah….” Now, the Penang State Government has tried to negotiate for a house, a corner of the land and a community hall for the villagers. Will they get that? Will they have time to move their things and stay elsewhere when demolition begins at a time when things are less chaotic?

I have attended many press conferences by CM Lim and Prof. Ramasamy. I have faith that they are nice people and will not allow any harm to come to the villagers there.

I don’t know. But I have prayed hard for a happy ending. I pray for the CM and his Excos/ADuns to have wisdom to solve this sticky situation. And this morning, during Sunday mass, our priest Father Fabian also prayed with all of us that the issue in Kampung Buah Pala will be settled.

(P/S : There is a lot of static sound in the video because of the external mike used for the CM. Nothing can be done, sorry.)

CJ Chan Lilian packing her gears :
Salt – check
Wet towel – check
Running shoes – check
Camera + memory card + battery + charger – check
Helmet
Gas mask

Citizen Journalist gear

Muahahahar…you think I play play wan meh? I really got industrial gas mask one….And salt in tiny sachets, ‘borrowed’ from McD. I’m lovin’ it!