Kg Buah Pala (View of villagers) – 09 Aug 2009
Oct 2nd, 2009 by murugan
How would you feel when one fine day, when you wake up, the authorities say that you are no longer allowed to stay on your own land? It is exactly the grim scenario and panicky feelings that the villagers of Kg. Buah Pala are experiencing now.
As we entered the village, a sign displayed reads “The High Chaparral, 200 years old traditional village”. The beautiful greenery and hill betray the true realities of life in the village.
The villagers’ live with their dogs and chickens running all over the place. A strong odour fills the air and to me, the “pleasant” cow dung smell reminded of my own childhood days in an estate. To my urban friends, it was chocking. Nevertheless, our arrival was welcomed by the villagers.
We found out that most of the occupants were born and raised in the village. They are neither illegal squatters nor immigrants. I tried to strike up a conversation. I could not help hearing one middle-aged villager saying in his mother tongue, “Whether BN or PR, they are all the same, cannot rely on them”. I eagerly started to listen attentively. He continued that the state government had offered a letter stating that each family would be given a double story house, 20 X 60 sq ft worth of RM 600 K. The man raised a pertinent question, “Is it really worth the value? Let’s say the construction cost of such property is RM200, 000 which means that the land is RM400, 000”.
Another lady in her early 50s added “The offer doesn’t consider the extended families.” True enough, there are about 60 families there but they were only offered 24 houses. She has another four extended families staying together in on a lot. “Do you think all 5 families can stay in one double story house given by the developer; is it an equal compensation?” she asked me. The letter did not specify the details of the house. This explains why the villagers felt insecure and shortchanged by the state government.
An outsider mentioned that rearing cow is their part of livelihood. Where are they to locate their livestock? This youth pointed out that the Chief Minister was finding 101 ways to boot out the villagers from Kg. Buah Pala but why hasn’t he thought of one option to keep them there?
One question rings in my mind: development is necessary and but is it a progress if it is at the social and economic expense of the villagers who have called Kg. Buah Pala their home for more than 200 years? Isn’t there a win-win situation for both parties? We already know what is happening to the indigenous people in Desa Temuan, Damansara Perdana when their ancestral land was developed with high end property.