Kg Buah Pala: Waiting ends, developer moves in (Updates)
3.40pm: ACP Azam says agreement reached between all parties to postponed demolition works to Sept 1 as the villagers wanted more time to move out.
It is learnt that the court bailiff wants each villager to sign acknowledgement letters agreeing to move out by Sept 1 for the demolition works to be deferred to that date. Villagers now discussing among themselves whether to sign the letters.
2.50pm: Discussion going on believed to be over possible postponement of demolition works to end of August.
Makkal Sakthi president R. S Thanenthiran says all parties agreed to hold demolition works based on humanitarian grounds. Villagers to renegotiate with developer for a win-win situation.
2.25pm: Nusmetro director Gary Ho, executive director Thomas Chan, ACP Azam, court bailiff and several villagers now in discussion at mobile police station.
2.15pm: Police and several villagers hold a meeting in one of the houses. The villagers continue to form the barricade while the FRU maintain their position separating the contractors and villagers.
1:10pm: Police shout at the villagers asking them to move back and disperse. A large group of villagers now manning the entrance, some 100m from the houses.
1pm: Workers start engines of bulldozers. Villagers demand that the engines be switched off. Villagers start pushing the FRU and workers back and call for more villagers to assist. Villagers outnumbered. Workers readying themselves to try to move into the village again.
A police truck arrives at the scene.
12.40pm: Lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira arrives and receives loud cheers from the villagers.
12.22pm: George Town OCPD ACP Azam Abd Hamid arrives.
Nusmetro executive director Thomas Chan remains firm that the demolition will take place today. Demolition work to start once notice served on residents by bailiff.
11.50am: Demolition has yet to start. Standoff remains as villagers, representatives of NGOs and political parties firmly blocked off access to the village
11:40am: Another group of contractors and workers try to move in from another side of the village. Several villagers rushed to the place to form a barricade.
11.03am: A few TNB workers stopped from entering village
11am: Piles of cow dung put in ready. It is believed the villagers would use them against the workers.
Several villagers claimed they fainted and police not doing enough to maintain peace.
10.56am: Shouting and pushing intensifies. Demolition workers prepare to advance. Woman resident claims she was hit.
10.50am: Pushing starts between villagers and police. Shouts of 'hidup Kampung Buah Pala'
10.45am: Court bailiff and developer give villagers 15 minutes to remove their belongings.
10.25am: The workers in safety gear and armed with sledgehammers stopped from walking further.
10:20am: FRU personnel moved in between the two groups. Residents keep hurling abuses and shouting at the workers and contractors. Two bulldozers trying to make their way in. Residents say they have assurance from state police chief that no demolition would be carried out.
10am: Some 100 workers walk to the village. Residents, members of NGOs and political parties forming the barricade shout "samseng keluar". Police move in.
9.40am: Court officials and bailiff, developer Nusmetro Ventures Sdn Bhd director Gary Ho and executive director Thomas Chan were seen at the moblile police station. Contractors and workers walk towards the village. Villagers shouted at them to stay back
GEORGE TOWN: Police have cordoned off the entire Kampung Puah Bala as the deadline for the residents to move out ends Thursday.
Bulldozers have been put on standby to move in to demolish the houses after most of the residents failed to take up the offer of a doube-storey house.
The situation is described as tense.
Scores of residents and members of non-governmental organisations are sitting in the rain to form a blockade. Two cars were also used to block off the main road of the village.
The police have set up a temporary mobile centre.
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