Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Selamat Datang Human Rights Party.

Oleh, KAMAL

Adakah wajar untuk menubuhkan satu parti politik? Itulah soalan utama yang ditujukan oleh ramai sahabat-sahabat saya apabila dapat mengetahui berita penubuhan Parti Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) atau lebih dikenali sebagai Human Rights Party (HRP) oleh Saudara P. Uthayakumar.

Jika kita melihat senario politik Malaysia, memang kita akan kata ia adalah satu perbuatan yang tidak wajar. Apatah lagi jika ia ditubuhkan demi memperjuangkan hak asasi manusia terutamanya bagi memperjuangkan hak-hak dan kepentingan masyarakat India yang merupakan sebuah kaum minority di bumi Malaysia ini.

Parti –parti lain pula bertungkus lumus memperjuangkan agenda utama masing-masing iaitu mengangkat bakul UMNO. Agenda bagi parti-parti ini adalah menyokong dan memuji apasaja tindakan UMNO dan kerajaan. Bagi mereka kepentingan dan keperluan masyarakat India adalah perkara yang tidak mempunyai nilai ‘komersial’ yang tinggi. Ianya dianggap seperti hobi, jika ada masa boleh berhobi, kalau taka ada tak apa lah.

Setelah tsunami Mac 08, ramai berpendapat bahawa parti-parti memperjuangkan hak sesuatu kaum akan hilang di muka bumi ini. Ianya banyak diperkatakan dan menjadi bahan polemic utama terutamanya di kalangan ahli dan penyokong pembangkang. Tetapi kita dapat lihat setiap tindak-tanduk parti pembangkang ini juga tidak terlepas daripada kongkongan kepentingan perkauman. Tetapi parti-parti ini dan penyokong masing-masing mempersembahkan kebisuan yang memanjang apabila diminta untuk meluluskan sesuatu perkara yang berada di bawah bidang kuasa mereka untuk menyelesaikan masalah kaum India di negeri-negeri yang mereka memerintah. Contoh terbaru kes Kampung Buah Pala. Semua parti hanya mahu menjaga kepentingan masyarakat majoriti sahaja, kepentingan masyarakat minority hanya dijadikan mainan politik. Kemarahan masyarakat India yang yang menjadi tunjang tsunami Mac 08, dipergunakan sepenuhnya oleh semua parti PR, akan tetapi bila ianya menjadi pemerintah di beberapa negeri pemintaan masyarakat India dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang racist. Ahli meraka yang berbangsa India juga tidak dapat menyuarakan perkara yang menjadi duri dalam daging bagi masyarakat India yang menaruh harapan yang tinggi pada pakatan pada mac 08. semuanya menjadi hancur dan berkecai. Apa bezanya parti yang dipercayai selama ini dan parti yang dipercayai sekarang?

Jika selama ini masyarakat India diperdaya oleh BN dengan hanya memberi ‘lips servive’ kini tiba pula masa PRuntuk memperdaya masyarakat India. Kita memang tidak dapat nafikan perkara ini. Tiada siapa pun dapat bagitahu apa sumbangan PR untuk masyarakat India selama 16 bulan ini. Sebab itulah rata-rata penyokong PR mengutuk Hindraf bersikap rasist apabila Hindraf meminta mereka untuk menunaikan janji-janji mereka kepada masyarakat India. Malah mereka tidak dapat memberi jawapan apa sumbangan mereka selain menyertai demonstrasi anjuran hindraf itupun mereka menghantar wakil India, bukannya pemimpin mereka yang mengatakan mereka tidak racist.

Secara total, semua parti yang ada sekarang tidak berupaya menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi selama ini. Kini muncul satu harapan bagai suatu cahaya di penghujung jalanan bagi seorang musafir yang sedang berjalan seorang diri di sebuah padang pasir yang penuh gelap. Cahaya itu ialah HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY pimpinan Saudara P. Uthayakumar yang sangat dikenali masyarakat India kerana keberaniannya memperjuangkan hak orang-orang yang tertindas bukan sahaja orang India, tetapi semua orang tanpa kira sempadan warna kulit. Pada beliau lah masyarakat India meletakkan harapan setinggi gunung, sebesar lautan.

Ucapan perasmian beliau pada hari pelancaran buku hasil nukilan beliau semasa ditahan di bawah akta keselamatan dalam negeri selama 514 hari yang bertajuk ‘Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy’ secara jelas menunjukkan beliau sentiasa memikirkan masalah rakyat dan mempunyai strategi, visi dan misi yang teratur bagi memperkasakan masyarakat India supaya berjuang bersama-sama masyarakat Malaysia supaya berdiri sama tinggi.

Masyarakat India ternyata ketinggalan dalam banyak bidang. Perkara ini walaupun disangkal oleh kerajaan, tindakan mereka secara tidak langsung memberi gambaran sebenar keadaan masyarakat ini. Kerajaan tidak dapat lagi menegakkan benang yang basah. Tuntutan utama masyarakat India menerusi Hindraf tiada diendahkan langsung walaupun mengetahui ia adalah sesuatu yang amat berketepatan dengan kehendak masyarakat Malaysia yang bersimpati dengan keadaan sekolah Tamil, taraf ekonomi keluarga masyarakat India di Bandar-bandar dan sebagainya. Sebuah parti yang babas daripada kongkongan Barisan nasional dan Pakatan rakyat sahaja dapat memperjuangkan tuntutan dan hak masyarakat tertindas ini.

Letter for Penangnites and Malaysian

Dear Penangnites & Malaysian

I am ordinary penangnite whom love diversity of Penang and presently helping the residents of Kg Buah Pala to fight the eviction by the Developer. I am not a politician or allligned to any political parties and i do not have any political aspiration either. I am not a Hindraf or MIC-BN Collaborator working against PAKATAN Government. I came across a very frigthening " Kg Buah Pala Horror Story" upon studying the documents of Kg Buah Pala in the last three weeks upon receiving SOS from the Village.

Kg Buah Pala Villagers presently remains about 300 illiterate and uneducated indians whom ancestors are the workers of Glugor Estate under Helen Margaret Brown Estate planting nutmegs in Penang during the British days. Presently they are cowherdes and selling cow milk to make a meagre living.

Before Independence the Village Land was acquired and held under Lot 698 North East District under Crown Trust of Strait Settlement Act for housing purpose for the estate workers .Most of the Land have been taken by State and developed except of very small piece of Village Land which housed the estate wokers quaters now know as Kg Buah Pala which is the only final remnants of Glugor Estate which planted nutmeg in Penang.

They have been struggling for last 50 years against previous penang government to save the Village from being torn down and to claim their rightful Malaysian Land Titles under the Torrens Systems. Their struggle is common knowledge to vicinity penangnites like at Bukit Gelugor residents.

The previous State Government under YB Koh Tsu Koon initially approved the Village Land Alieanation in favour of Cooperative in the Year 2005 and again in the 25th April 2007 for 50% premium reduction payable by the Cooperative.

The Villagers took the State Government, Cooperative and the Developer under YB Koh Tsu Koon to Court on the Year 2007 to save the village and claim their rights on the Land and at that time YB Koh Tsu Koon have not issued the Malaysian Land Title to the Cooperative because the cooperative have not paid up the premium for the Land Alienation. Their rights on the Land was protected because Malaysia Title was not given to the Cooperative.

Prominient DAP & PAKATAN Leaders came to village as WHITE KNIGHTS during the Election Campaign 8/3/08 and promised to save the Village from BN Land Scams if they win the Election and form the Penang State Government. Every Penangnite knew DAP Election Mantra in Penang was " Land Scams ... YB Koh Tsu Koon ...BN Government".

At that point of election time as at 08/03/08 the Malaysian Land Title for the Village Land has not been issued to the Cooperative because the Cooperative have not fully paid the premium and have not settled the Villagers as per YB Koh Tsu Koon conditions for the Land Alienation approval to the Cooperative on the Year 2005.

Upon PAKATAN formed State government on 8/3/08, The Malaysia Land Title was issued to Cooperative on 27/3/2008 after premium RM 2.24 was paid on 14/3/2008 to the present PAKATAN Government. The Malaysian Title was issued to Cooperative within 19days PAKATAN became the State Government which extinguished the Villagers rights on the Land under the Lot 698 of CrownTrust Strait Settlements and murdered them in Court of Law !

The market value for the 6.5 Acre Village Land is about RM 60 million. The Cooperative only paid RM 3.2 Million to the Penang State Government for the Land.The PAKATAN government have knowledge of it when they accepted the Balance Premium of RM 2.24 million on 14/3/2008 from the Cooperative before issuance of title on the 27/3/2008 to the Cooperative.

Now YB Lim Guan Eng claims that previous BN Government did the Land Scam and approved the Land Alienantion on 25th April 2007 below market value and he has no choice but to issue the Title to the Cooperative. Is YB Lim Guan Eng telling the Malaysian that inspite of all the Legal Expertise he has in his stable that he could not have save or attempted to save the Village or the Land which valued over RM 60million ? That YB Lim Guan Eng has no choice but to issue the Land Title to the Cooperative within 19days ( 27/3/2008)upon he came the CM (03/08/08)? Does he says that PAKATAN Govt have no remedy for fraudulent land alienation in Penang inspite of the all the lawyers including lawyers who can sue Sultans in their stable?

Now YB Lim Guan Eng claims that the previous State Government under YB Koh Tsu Koon did the Land Scam on the Village Land and He personaly did not make any promises to the Villagers!!!!

After much pressure from the Villagers,YB Lim Guan Eng have only released PARTIAL exco minutes documents which points the finger at the previous government whom gave the approval on 25th April 2007 and balance premium was only paid on 14/3/2008 to PAKATAN Government and Malaysian Title was issued to Cooperative on 27/3/2008. Why is that only Partial Documents are being diclassified and released to public???

Under S.81(2) NLC 1965... in any Land Alienation approval , the Premium must be paid within a specified time in the Notice of Payment ( Borang 5A) otherwise the State Approval shall be deemed lapse and the Land Alienation Application shall be withdrawn!!!! . The usual practice for time limit for premium payment usualy is only 3 months from the issuance of notice of premium payment. If the YB Koh Tsu Koon approval was on 25/4/07,what would have been the time limit for the payment of premium??? Is the Time period is 11 months... as the Cooperative paid the Premium only on the 14/3/08 to the Pakatan Government led by YB Lim Guan Eng?

Why did the PAKATAN GOVERNMENT accepted the RM2.24million from the Cooperative on 14/3/2008 even though they knew the Land was worth more than RM60million???? Why didnt DAP State Government didnt make a fuss or claim Land Scam when they were issuing the Malaysian Title to the Cooperative or attempt anything in Court of Law to prevent the loss of RM 60million worth of Land? Is YB Lim Guan Eng telling that he has lost 60million worth of Land in first 19 days of being the Penang CM???

Under s.78 National Land Code , Until the issuance of the Registered Land Title in favour of intended applicant Proprietor, the Land shall remain with the State until such time. Therefore the Kg Buah Pala Land was in PAKATAN Government hand from 8/3/08 until PAKATAN government issued the Malaysian Title on 27/3/2008 !!!!!! Couldnt have the PAKATAN Government with all the prominient lawyers in their stable save or attempted to save the Village within the provision of Law or to prevent the issuance of the Registered Title to the Cooperative on 27/3/2008 especially where the Land was in hand of PAKATAN Government????? And to prevent the loss of Land valued RM 60million to the Developer!!!

It is very interesting that Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce President Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping is supporting YB Lim Guan Eng on handling of Kg Buah Pala issue?? What would be the interest of Chamber of Commerce.....$$$$$$?

The Villagers had placed their faiths and hopes in PAKATAN and rallied for PAKATAN during 2008 Election hoping that their struggle over 30 years to get their own Malaysian Land Title shall be over when PAKATAN forms the government which seen as WHITE KNIGHTS for the People . Their Adun is from DAP and always told them not to worry and was assured them that their land is safe and they should continue their Court struggle and fight for the Land .

Little did the Villagers realize that the Malaysian Title has been issued by PAKATAN Government to the Cooperative on 27/3/2008 without a hint which has murdered Villagers in Court of Law and brandish them as squatters and tresspassers.

The Villagers was betrayed of the highest kind by the present State Government whom i believe sold out the Villagers in favour of the Cooperative and Developer. As We are all aware, No matter which ever government rule the State the Developers will try to play their cards to take advantage of prime land in the State.

As one reporter told me... " Government may change... but lies does not change"

The issuance of Malaysian Title on 27/3/2008 by the PAKATAN Government to the Cooperative murdered the Villagers in Court of Law where the Court of Appeal ruled that the Villagers are tresspasser on the Cooperative Land because Title has been issued to Cooperative and summarily judged in favour of the Cooperative without the benefit of full trial to the Villagers!!! And therefore no locus standii or rights to pursue the matter in court. The leave to appeal to Federal Court was not granted by Yang Arif Augustine Paul.

It seems that Penang Govt under YB Lim Guan Eng made a calculated judgement on Kg Buah Pala that the 300 odd viilagers are minority indians and that any resistance can be steamrolled and the issue can isolated from majority chinese as indian issues by using racial cards as HINDRAF collaborators and as MIC-BN collaborators where the majority of Penangnites are chinesse whose sentiments are against BN Government and shall not be bothered with happenings at Kg Buah Pala.

The truth of the treacherous betrayal on the minority and marginalised by Penang DAP Government whom i believe is in the path toward Capitalist Governance where all the poor and middle income irespective of race shall be marginalised and all other malay and chinese kampungs and natural environment, hillside , heritage properties , landscape and culture shall be destroyed in the name of Development of Penang.

More kampungs in Penang like Tanjong Tokong, Teluk Kumbar, Bukit Bendera , expering Leasehold houses will be in Developer's deck of cards for destruction in the name of development and conveniently pointing finger at previous government land scam unless we address the issue now with affirmative action as Penangnites!!!

Most of Penang people live in Villages, Hillsides, expiring Leasehold Houses and Rent Control Houses.... which shall be ideal target for greedy Developers who want prime Lands in Penang where they can make most handsome profit through very helpful politicians.

Penang People should arise as PENANGNITES above the veil of deceits by politicians using racial cards as to divide and rule penangnites to fulfill their own greed for materialistic gain despite the destruction of our multicultural society, landscape and heritages.

Today may be Kampung Buah Pala ... Tommorow shall be Our homes!!!!

Let us come together and save Our Pearl of Orient from Destruction in the name of Development..... People People have put to stop of of Lies in the name of Development and Racial Politics in Penang!! Lets us Remind THEM again as Penangnites!!!

rgd
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Let's meet, deputy CM tells High Chaparral villagers - Malaysiakini

Penang Pakatan Rakyat government has arranged for a meeting with Kampung Buah Pala residents tomorrow night in an effort to end the long-running High Chaparral crisis.

About 10 state officials arrived at the village in Bukit Gelugor today morning and handed out invitation letters from Deputy Chief Minister 2 P Ramasamy.

The letter signed by Ramasamy (right) said that the meeting would be held in Chief Minister's operations room at Level 28 Komtar at 8pm on Wednesday.

Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association assistant secretary C Tharmaraj accompanied the state officials during the 10am stroll.

The nearly 200-year-old traditional village has 24 households, comprising 65 families and 300 residents.

The letter of invite urged villagers to attend the meeting on their own accord.

The association secretary J Stephen Draviam said the letter obviously forbid the villagers' lawyer from attending the meeting.

Villagers told to vacate land by Aug 2

The letter stipulated that the meeting was organised to resolve all problems arising from the Federal Court decision on June 24.

The Federal Court ruling upheld an earlier Court of Appeal decision favouring the new land owner Koperasi Pegawai Kanan Kerajaan Pulau Pinang and developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd.

The villagers were served an eviction notice by the developer on July 2 for vacant possession of the land by Aug 2.

They will have to move out from the village where current residents and their ancestors have lived for six generations, and pave way for a lucrative condominium project called Oasis.

A scheduled meeting with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng earlier this month was aborted when the officials refused the village legal advisor Darshan Singh Khaira from accompanying the residents.

Kampung Buah Pala is also commonly known among locals as Tamil High Chaparral, named after the popular Western television series in 1960s, for its population of cowherds, cattles, goats, other livestocks and lively Indian cultural features.

Several civil societies have joined the villagers to urge the state government to preserve the site as a state living human heritage village.

We need our legal advisor, say villagers

The association will hold a meeting with the villagers tonight to decide on the state government's proposed meeting tomorrow.

Tharmaraj said the association hoped that the state government would allow Darshan (left) to attend the meeting.

"We are just residents of a village. We need our legal advisor's assistance to find a way to end our predicament," he told Malaysiakini.

During a visit to the village last night, MIC youth national coordinator T Mohan said he would lead a group of party youth on Aug 3 to resist any attempt by the developer to demolish and flatten the village.

"Let the authorities arrest me if they want," he said, adding that Pakatan state government had failed to initiate any constructive measures to resolve the High Chaparral crisis thus far.

Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar and his Hindu Rights Action Force supporters have already vowed to stop the developer from bulldozing the village.