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Rest in Peace Vijendran

/* August 24th, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions 3 comments »

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A auspious day it was on Sunday, being Vinayagar Chathurthi. I was about to go out in the evening when I received few calls. What started out as a good day ended on a sad note. One of my university mates had passed away. Vijendran Subramaniam, from Hutan Melintang, Perak was a good guy. Calm, quiet, studious and a pillar for his family. His demise will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.

Then was upset as well, since he was the first visitor to our house after the wedding, and still remember how thoughtful of him to bring “buah tangan” when he dropped by.

I knew him from university days as we were in the same faculty. In fact, on the very first day at the university, he sat next to me as we waited for the speech before heading towards the hostel.

We had plenty of good time together while studying and still kept in touch after graduation. Camping, outings, seminars, school projects, and many other events saw his participation. Went to India together too.

He used to call me during Deepavali, one of the very few who took the effort to make a call.

Sometimes we wonder why these things happen. God has his plans, and its part of His plans for Vijendran to leave us so soon. Let us offer some words of prayer and thoughts for his soul, may it continue on its journey to a better place.

God bless you, Vijendran (27 January 1976 – 22 August 2009).

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Posted in Personal

Kg Buah Pala residents hope on Bukit Gelugor UMNO

/* August 23rd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »

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Yup, the title is correct. First, they met (a rep) DPM Muhyiddin. Then, Lim Guan Eng said state won’t be helping anymore. Next, came the court verdict which favored the developer. And now this:

Kampung Buah Pala villagers have turned to the Bukit Gelugor Umno division for help now that the state government has washed its hands off the land controversy.

Residents association chairman M. Sugumaran said division chairman Datuk Omar Faudzar had agreed to hold talks with the developer and landowner over the matter.

“We were left without a choice after Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng washed his hands off the issue. We strongly believe we would not be let down this time,” he said during a press conference at the village here Saturday.

Sugumaran also said eight families who had earlier agreed to the ex-gratia deal – a double-storey terrace house with a 99-year lease title for each of the 24 temporary occupation license (TOL) holders – had returned the signed agreements to the developer.

“They are back with us. There are now 21 of us who do not agree with the offer,” he said.

The residents have until Aug 31 to vacate the over 100-year-old village in Bukit Gelugor before the developer Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd starts pulling down their houses from Sept 1.

It was reported Friday that the Federal Court stood by its June 24 decision that the Buah Pala residents must vacate their homes and hand the property over to a developer for redevelopment.

Sugumaran said the villagers were disappointed with Lim who had shirked his responsibility at “the peak” of the issue.

“It is disappointing for Lim to leave us at such a time. But luckily, when one door is closed, there appears to be a ray of hope with (Datuk) Omar now coming to lend us a helping hand. He fully understands our plight,” he said.

When contacted, Omar said he would meet up with representatives of the developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd on Tuesday.

If the residents play their cards well, maybe can get some compensation, but don’t hope too much. In the end, money talks.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Penang UMNO

stage is set for MIC elections

/* August 23rd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions 2 comments »

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MIC elections nomination took place on Saturday. As predicted, there’s a three corner fight for the Deputy President post in MIC. Incumbent Palanivel will be challenged by ex-Deputy Dato Subra and Sothinathan. Expect Palanivel to win due to Samy Vellu’s campaigning.

And, there’s still another election battle in 2012, when Samy Vellu actually retires (or so he says). So, the loser here still have a chance then.

The Vice President posts sees 8 candidates vying for 3 positions. The president’s men are the three parliamentarians – Dr S. Subra, Saravanan, and SK Devamany. The “independents” are Also in the contest are businessman and former Federal Territory MIC chief VKK Teagarajan, former central working committee (CWC) member KP Samy, Jelebu division leader P Mariayee who is the sole woman candidate for the post, businessman and CWC member S Balakrishnan (Johor MIC Treasure ex-Johor MIC chief) and Kelana Jaya division vice-chairman P Subramaniam.

Again, the president’s men are expected to win comfortably, again raising questions on the credibility of the winners late. There will be a stigma on the winners – winning because of approval from president. They can’t help it if people wonder.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Elections MIC

Court decides against Kg Buah Pala residents

/* August 21st, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »

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The Federal Court struck out the second leave application (with cost) by the residents of Kg Buah Pala today, in an unanimous decision. Hindraf Uthayakumar was at the court as well.

The court ruled as follows:

Arifin ruled that the question which the residents wanted the Federal Court to determine — whether they have the locus standi (legal standing) to institute legal proceedings against the cooperative and the developer — could not be raised at the apex court because that issue was never raised at the lower courts.

On the issue of indefeasibility of the title of the land, Arifin said the Court of Appeal had ruled that the alienation to the cooperative was proper and legal.

He said the residents could have raised the title issue before the previous Federal Court panel but had failed to do so.

“Therefore, they cannot raise it now,” Arifin said.

In other words, they are considered as tresspassers and have to vacate the land now, as ruled by the court in June. Can they go back to lower court and file another appeal or suit to decide on the locus standi and land title?

Anyway, since DPM Muhyiddin has given the residents some sort of hope, perhaps there is still light at the end of the tunnel.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Penang Protest

Penang Govt gives up on Kg Buah Pala

/* August 20th, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions 1 comment »

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After yesterday’s event, I kind of expected this response from the state government. The state government is washing its hands off the problem of Kg Buah Pala since the residents have approached the Federal government.

Now the residents have chosen their path, and can’t turn back. Most likely they will end up with nothing unless federal government waves a magic wand.

I think the state government were looking for an excuse, and the residents provided one just in time. We can only hope that the residents have been given the correct advice by those involved.

The Penang government said its mediator role between Kampung Buah Pala residents and the landowner and developer is “as good as over.”

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said as far as the state government was concerned, the matter ended when some of the villagers sought help from the Barisan Nasional.

“We have done our part and as far as we are concerned, the matter ends there.

“Since they have gone to see the Barisan, the matter ends there,” he told reporters at a Ramadan aid presentation to mosques at Politeknik Seberang Prai here on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Kampung Buah Pala residents association committee chairman M. Sugumaran handed over a 17-page memorandum to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the Permatang Pauh Barisan Nasional operations centre.

Sugumaran told Muhyiddin that only the Barisan could help resolve the villagers’ problem, claiming that the Penang government had “merely made empty promises.”

Sugumaran said he hoped Muhyiddin would shed some light on the matter since land issues were generally under the Federal Government’s purview.

Lim said the move to meet the Muhyiddin merely validated the state’s concern that the residents could have been used by certain quarters, or that they might have a “political agenda.”

Lim said he did not understand why the Kampung Buah Pala villagers were doing this.

He claimed that the Barisan had not done anything for the residents, while the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government helped them obtain an offer of double-storey terrace houses with a 99-year lease title.