UDA Holdings Bhd chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamed is in Penang today to meet the state exco to discuss how the complaints of the Kampung Tanjung Tokong villagers can be resolved.

nur jazlan mohamed 071008 03Nur Jazlan (left) said UDA would request the state to set up an independent committee to look into the needs of the villagers affected by the massive redevelopment project in the area.

“We will propose that this committee has no politician... so that it can hear (neutrally) the demands of the people,” he said when contacted today.

“Then, based on certain established principles, we can decide on the next course of action.”

However, Nur Jazlan said, it was unlikely that those protesting against the project would get their own way.

Some villagers had recently protested against Nur Jazlan for his remarks in the media that they were “squatters living on illegal land”. At least two police reports have been filed against him.

Voice of the Kg Tanjong Tokong people chairperson Mohd Musannif Zainol Abidin had issued a three-day ultimatum to Nur Jazlan to retract his remarks and make a public apology.

YesteNONErday, a group of 30 villagers tried, without success, to submit a memorandum to the UDA office in Bertam.

Nur Jazlan stuck to his stance, and shot back: “Are they not squatters? Am I rude for saying this? Why should I apologise?"

He made light of the protests that also saw villagers stamping on a photograph of him and setting fire to photocopies of it.

“They are only a handful of people... as time goes by, the numbers will get fewer. People are getting tired of this,” he said.

He also lamented that government-linked developers like UDA are being subjected to more public pressure than private companies.

‘Tyranny of the minority’

Nur Jazlan explained that UDA’s money belongs to the people under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.

“We are the custodians of the government’s money and we have to use it for the benefit of the majority,” Nur Jazlan said.

“In this case, it is the minority that is making the demands that UDA cannot fulfil.”

The problem had existed for nearly 40 years, he said, but UDA was only now close to confirming the terms and conditions.

“This is where the villagers know they can no longer get what they want,” he said.

NONEOn the group’s plan to submit a memorandum to Putrajaya to enlist the premier’s help to resolve their problem, Nur Jazlan said he would explain the situation to Najib Abdul Razak (left).

“We are already spending RM80 million of the government’s money to compensate them. How do you think UDA will pay for replacement housing units? We will get it from the sale of our commercial units to subsidise the cost.

“We are giving each of them apartments of 800sq-ft worth RM150,000... I hope they don’t sell their units,” Nur Jazlan said

Asked what UDA would do if the protestors refuse to vacate the land, he said minority groups should not be allowed to prevail over the majority.

“If the majority agrees to our terms, don’t tell me that the minority can force them to do otherwise. This would be the tyranny of the minority and we cannot let this happen,” he added.