2 œ theSun | MONDAY AUGUST 3 2009

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1Malaysia concept
strategically
important: Najib
MUAR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said
yesterday the 1Malaysia concept needed to be seen
as strategically important for the nation, especially in
expanding relations with new world economic centres
like China and India.
He said the 1Malaysia concept could be looked at
from various dimensions, among them national unity and
Malaysia’s strategic interests.
“Through the 1Malaysia concept, foreign countries
can see Malaysia as one which is multi-ethnic. They can
identify with Malaysia’s plurity through 1Malaysia,” he
told a press conference at Kompleks Seri Pekembar in
Pagoh here after opening Pagoh Umno’s annual del-
egates meeting.
Present was Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin, who is also the division’s chief.
Najib said that besides China and India, countries in
the Middle East and Southeast Asia would also emerge
as new economic powers in the short- and medium-
term.
He said although the world was facing an economic
crisis now, China was able to record a high growth rate of
7.6% and that the same was happening in India.
He said Middle East countries had excess capital now
which could be invested in Malaysia while Southeast
Asian countries like Indonesia were of very high eco-
nomic importance to the country.
Najib said that because of the global economic melt-
down, the United States could no longer be able to be a
big consumer market like before and the situation was
compounded by problems in its financial systems.
“Though this is the case, we must still continue eco-
nomic relations with the US and Europe, but we should
not be over-reliant on them,” he said.
He also said he would be announcing the names of
those appointed to the board of Ekuinas (Ekuiti Nasional),
an investment body set up by the government to help
bumiputras expand their equity ownership, today. –
Bernama
Supporters gather but land
owner firm on demolition
by Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: On the eve of a
scheduled demolition of Kampung
Buah Pala, the villagers hosted a
cultural festival featuring a bullfight.
A few thousand people gathered
in the village, also known as High
Chaparral, to perform prayers, tradi-
tional ceremonies, music and dance,
and watch contests like greased pole-
Drumming climbing.
up a The villagers had met Penang
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on
record Saturday and agreed to consider
pg4 moving to a site adjacent to their vil-
lage as an intact heritage community,
pending a detailed proposal from the
developer.
Kampung Buah Pala Residents
Association chairman M. Sugumaran
said: “Thousands of supporters are
expected to be gathered here tomor-
row (Monday) to stop the developer
(Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd)
from demolishing the village. The
supporters will stay here for a week.
“All of us have taken leave from
work and we will all remain in the
village for the whole week to stop the
developer from moving in to demol-
ish our village.”
On the day-long cultural festival,
Sugumaran said it was aimed at
raising awareness and showcasing
the traditional Indian culture that
“is still very alive in the century-old
village”.
“July 17 to Aug 17 is also a reli-
gious month for Hindus with various
religious events to be held in temples.
That’s why we organised this festival
during this holy period so that we
can also conduct prayers,” he said.
On the villagers’ meeting with-
Lim, he said: “The chief minister
has promised to let us share the
2.6ha plot with the developer. Now,
the state government is discussing
this with the developer. So, even if
tomorrow is the deadline for us to
move out, we will stay put.”
Lim had said the state government
would revoke the development order
for the project if Nusmetro Ventures
went ahead with its threat to bulldoze
the village today.
Nusmetro Ventures had won a
court order to obtain vacant posses-
sion of the land without needing to
pay the villagers any compensation.
To date, it has said it would not
give the villagers any more compen-
sation and has threatened to sue the
state government for RM105 million
if the state government revoked the
development order.
The Penang Government Offic-
ers Cooperative, the owner of the
land, remains firm in its decision to
demolish the houses tomorrow.
Bernama quoted cooperative
chairman Abdul Razak Mansor as
saying Nusmetro Ventures had been
instructed to obey the Federal Court
decision granting ownership of the
land to the cooperative.
“We are not cruel, but our deci-
sion to demolish the village still
stands because the court has decided
the land is ours,” he said.
Abdul Razak said any talks re-
garding relocating residents within
the area as suggested by Lim would
only be done after the houses were
demolished.
“The cooperative will not en-
tertain any requests from the state
government to negotiate the matter
until the houses are torn down,” he
said.
“Discussions on whether the
residents can stay on part of the land
will also be carried out once the area
is vacated.”

Disciplinary action sure

to split MCA
WHATEVER the decisions to
the 40 or so cases to be heard
by MCA’s Disciplinary Board
tomorrow can be considered
“academic”. What is certain
is that the party is split and
another protracted leadership
struggle may emerge, depend-
ing on the extent of the influ-
ences of the president and his
deputy.
Party insiders say it is “clear”
the deputy president, Datuk
Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, is hoping
to topple the president, Datuk
Seri Ong Tee Keat.
Chua’s supporters have
been issuing statements
criticising Ong and seemingly
aimed at destabilising the party
leadership. Ong is also said to
be fast losing his patience with
the antics and manoeuvrings of
Chua and his supporters.
All these point to a do-or-die
showdown, with only one man
standing – as the party No. 1.
Despite the withdrawal of a
complaint on the sex scandal
involving Chua, the board may
recommend that he be sus-
pended. Whether that would
spell the end for Chua would
depend on his real influence in
the party.
Although some quarters
argue that the complaint had
Comment
by Giam Say Khoon
been accepted by the party
presidential council – thus
a prima facie case had been
established – some think there
is no more locus standi to the
case after the complaint was
withdrawn.
A party source said,
however, the act of lodging a
complaint with the disciplinary
board is just a procedural mat-
ter as the board may still act
against any member it sees
as a law offender, just like the
attorney-general prosecuting a
criminal case.
“(As) the presidential council
under the leadership of former
president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting
had already accepted Chua’s
resignation and acknowledged
his contribution to the party,
the case should come to a full
stop,” said a source.
“The delegates had also
made their choice in the party
election by giving their man-
date to Chua to be the deputy
president. The action of the
new disciplinary board is tan-
tamount to disrespect for the
delegates’ decision and also
for the previous presidential
council.”
The source said Ong should
not forget he was a rebellious
leader who used to oppose the
central leadership, and now
that he has become the No.1
in the party, it is ironic for him
to expect people under his
leadership to be totally obedi-
ent to him.
Another source said Ong
had to act because Chua had
left him with no choice because
of the constant attacks through
the vernacular media.
If Chua is suspended, he
may get his supporters to
requisition for an emergency
general meeting to pass a no-
confidence vote on Ong and
also tell his son, Chua Tee Yong,
who is the Labis MP, to vacate
his seat to register a protest to
Barisan Nasional.
“Once Chua is suspended,
he can no longer hold the posi-
tion of the BN chief coordinator.
What will happen is anybody’s
guess,” a source said.
Chua has confirmed he will
attend the inquiry tomorrow
but the outcome is not likely to
be made known as any recom-
mendation must be endorsed
by the presidential council.

Ong says Kit Siang’s police
report a political move
GENTING HIGHLANDS: MCA president Datuk
Seri Ong Tee Keat yesterday described as a
political move the police report lodged by DAP
MP Lim Kit Siang over the death threat Ong
claimed he had received.
“Thank you (for lodging the report). But he
(Lim) knows that he has no locus standi (in the
matter). Nevertheless, I appreciate his concern.
Usually, when I am up against something like
this, I will take the appropriate action without
making a big issue of it,” Ong said after opening
the Pahang MCA annual delegates conference.
On Monday, Lim lodged a report at the Petal-
ing Jaya police headquarters on the death threat
Ong claimed he had received, and said he had
done so as a public responsibility for the safety
of Ong. – Bernama