Man who burned Guan Eng's photo attacked

BUTTERWORTH: A legal firm runner was attacked by a group of men and he claimed the attack could be linked to his action of setting alight a poster of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during a Penang Barisan Nasional Youth demonstration on Nov 30.

S. Krishnan, 47, received 16 stitches on his right thigh at the Seberang Jaya Hospital but was not warded. He also sustained bruises on the neck, back and hips.

Krishnan, whose nickname is Mak Mandin Kumar, said he was on his motorcycle and heading home in Taman Mak Mandin after dinner at 10pm on Sunday when the attack took place.

In pain: Krishnan relating the incident to Chua (right) and Sum at the Seberang Jaya Hospital on SundayHe said he had sought refuge at a petrol station in Jalan Permatang Pauh, about 1km from his home, when he realised that he was being tailed by a group of men on motorcycles.

“I left the petrol station 10 minutes later when I thought the coast was clear,” he added. Krishnan said he was, however, cornered by eight men on four motorcycles at a remote spot at the Mak Mandin light industrial area.

He said six of them, including two armed with kitchen knives, attacked him while the other two stood as lookouts.

Speaking to reporters at his home yesterday, Krishnan said several of the men shouted “Cut off his legs!” in Tamil.

He said he called his friends after the assailants fled and they took him to the hospital where Bagan MCA division Youth Chief David Chua and the division’s vice-chairman, Sum Yoo Keong, visited him.

Chua said he visited Krishnan as they were involved in helping residents of Rumah Hijau in Mak Mandin, who are facing eviction.

Krishan had lodged a report at the Mak Mandin police station on Sunday night.

‘Help Rumah Hijau folk’

BAGAN MCA division Youth chief David Chua has handed over a memorandum to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, urging him to personally intervene in the plight of Rumah Hijau families who are facing eviction.

Chua, who was accompanied by a small group of affected residents, to the state administrative base in Komtar, urged the state to engage the Rumah Hijau residents and developer in negotiations so they could come to an amicable solution.

“The residents are hoping to be relocated within the same area as the area has many amenities such as places of worship, clinics and schools.

“If the residents are relocated to low-cost flats 3km away, they will be burdened with transportation costs,” Chua said before handing over the memorandum to Lim’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik yesterday.

■Chua (left) handing over the memorandum to Ng in Komtar.

About 240 families of Rumah Hijau in Mak Mandin, Butterworth, are facing eviction as the land on which their homes stand, has been earmarked for a redevelopment housing scheme.

Out of this number, some 170 families have accepted keys to low-cost flats while the remaining families are adamant on staying in their Rumah Hijau long houses, Chua said.

He also urged the state to consider aliena-ting one of the neighbouring plots of land around Rumah Hijau at a reasonable price to build a block of low-cost flats for the residents.

“We hope this suggestion will get the support and help from the state and Federal Governments.

“The Federal Government must help as Barisan Nasional has a responsibility to the people,’’ he said.

from : The Star, Metro North
Friday December 18, 2009