High Chaparral 'rep' abandons her own PC

MalaysiaKini- Athi Veeranggan

Jul 4, 09
5:15pm
The Kampung Buah Pala crisis today took a strange twist when a high ranking PKR official apparently 'coerced' one of the villagers to praise the state government's handling of the affair.

During a press conference this morning, Kampung Buah Pala resident KM Shanta, who read out a written statement, showered praises on the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

tanjung pkr division high chaparral 040709 shanta kmShanta's position was in stark contrast to the stand unanimously taken by some 300 villagers who are facing eviction after the land they were occupying was sold to a private developer.

Sensing something amiss, journalists bombarded Shanta with questions, and eventually unable to response, she retracted her statement and abandoned the press conference.

The embattled Kampung Buah Pala villagers, having exhausted all legal avenues, are blaming Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's government for not doing enough to stop the developers from demolishing their homes to make way for a luxury condominium project.

Villagers, mostly cowherds, regard their village as the Penang High Chaparral, in reference to a 70s Western television series, and wants the state government to accord the village heritage status.

Cracked under pressure

Earlier today, a large press contingent gathered at the Tanjung PKR headquarters after a press conference was called claiming that an 'important announcement' was to be made on the issue.

But Shanta's statement left journalist bewildered when she praised several Pakatan legislators for halting developers from demolishing the village over the past 15 months - a fact which the villagers have repeatedly denied.

tanjung pkr division high chaparral 040709 pcShanta also claimed that the villagers have full faith in Lim to resolve the crisis.

Following this, Shanta was repeatedly questioned on whether she was qualified to represent the villagers and why she chose to speak at the Tanjung PKR office, and not at the village.

She stammered for an answer when asked whether she was happy that Lim had not visited the village since taking over the state government 15 months ago.

She appeared particularly shaken when a journalist invited her to accompany the media to the village to issue the press statement there and have her photo taken alongside with other villagers.

“You are on camera ... do you want own up to this statement?” asked the reporter.

Lim-Malik connection

Shanta finally withdrew her statement and admitted to the journalists that she was a Tanjung PKR division women's wing office-bearer, and was “tricked” into issuing the statement by a high-ranking PKR leader.

Sources are pointing fingers at state executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim as the man behind the press conference. Abdul Malik was among Pakatan lawmakers who initially tried to engage the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.

Abdul Malik, who is Tanjung PKR division chief, is fondly addressed in the Penang political circles as “Lim Mah Lek” due to his close relationship with Lim.

According to sources, Shanta was called up by Abdul Malik to his office in Komtar early this morning where she was told to issue the press statement.

Although Shanta initially refused to play along, Abdul Malik convinced her to do so to protect 'the credibility and image' of the Pakatan state government which is currently under intense fire over the issue.