Siamese-Burmese village eviction a private dispute

Penang CM Lim Guan Eng says the new landowner turns out to be a trustee of the Siamese–Burmese village.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng described the 169-year-old Siamese–Burmese village issue as a private dispute between residents and the new landowner, Five Star Heritage Sdn Bhd.

He also said the dispute was “unusual” as the new landowner was a trustee of the Siamese–Burmese village, and obviously someone entrusted to take care of the welfare of the villagers.

While confirming that a development proposal was submitted, Lim declined to deliberate on it as he could not recall the nature of the application.

He did however remember that the application to build a hotel on the said land in Lorong Bangkok, Pulau Tikus was not approved due to a dispute that had arisen among the trustees.

Describing it as a “complicated case”, Lim said the state government needed to obtain more information, including a chronology of events that led to the dispute, before it could address the matter with any degree of certainty.

Meanwhile Penang Gerakan secretary Oh Tong Keong today urged the state government to stop the proposed mega hotel project on grounds that the village was a heritage site.

Making reference to a similar situation some time back, Oh said, “We have lost a similar Indian living heritage in Kampung Buah Pala. We hope lightning won’t strike twice.”

Talking to FMT here today Oh said Gerakan was humbly but formally appealing to the Penang chief minister to use his authority to stop the demolition of the village and halt the hotel project.

Explaining that the Siamese–Burmese village was a historical landmark in Penang, Oh added, “Selling it means forsaking our history.”

Oh also called on the chief minister to take proactive steps to not only stop the village from being demolished but to preserve and conserve it as a state heritage.

Oh cautioned, “It’s the state government’s duty to preserve and conserve our heritage.

The new landowner is seeking a court order now to evict residents of the village after they failed to move despite being offered RM30,000 in compensation for each family.