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'Iszuree victimised for being vocal on squatter issues'
GEORGE TOWN, Oct 10, 2014:
Five non-governmental organisations (NGO) made up of residents, religious and youth groups have today come forward in support of embattled Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) councillor Iszuree Ibrahim who they claimed have been championing the plight of those affected by development even before he became councilor. Citing ten reasons in their support for Iszuree, the group described him as a people-centric leader in its true sense and meaning and also expressed sympathy over the fate that had befallen him.
Iszuree’s fate in the council was still in limbo after being sacked from all three standing committees despite still remaining as a councilor but with his allocations frozen.
The decision was made at the state exco meeting on Oct 1 which decided to sack Iszuree following his so-called open criticism against the state administration on squatter issues in Penang.This, despite a meeting held between several PAS leaders with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in his office in Komtar on Thursday last week. Meanwhile, the groups’ leader and spokesperson Muhammad Salleh Yahaya claimed Iszuree had been victimised by the state government for being vocal on the issue of the rights of those being made to evict their homes to make way for development, especially those squatting on private land. Among the ten reasons cited by the NGOs were that Iszuree had been consistent in his quest to ensure fairness and justice for those facing eviction and had gone through various channels in putting forth the issue. “To us, it doesn’t matter which party he is from — he is the epitome of what a true leader is — he is willing to sacrifice and to face the music in his fight for the rakyat and by right, he should be the pride of the Pakatan Rakyat government as he represents the voice of the oppressed and unheard. “Iszuree was staying in Tanjung Tokong for a while before moving to Batu Uban so he can empathize with the rights of early settlers who have stayed over 30 years and then evicted in the name of development.
“We are with him in fighting for people like these who are eligible to get a home-for-home compensation, ” said Muhammad Salleh at a press conference in Tanjung Tokong here today.Iszuree had raised the issue, described by Muhammad Salleh as “fervently pertinent” at the recent PAS muktamar on Sept 19 in Batu Pahat, Johor.
The Penang PAS held a meeting on Thursday last week, resulting in Iszuree being slapped with a gag order, preventing him from talking to the press. Prior to that, Iszuree had claimed he had been misquoted by Malaysiakini in an article over his speech.“His vocal ways and knowing issues at the grassroots level really earned him our respect.
“We feel there ought to be more young leaders like him who are unafraid to voice urgent issues despite getting the backlash.
“These are qualities that should be shown by leaders these days,” Muhammad Salleh said. Muhammad Salleh, who is also the Traditional Kampung Tanjung Tokong residents association chairman said he could resonate with what was said by Iszuree, where current eviction policies by the Pakatan Rakyat government did not seem to help those affected.He pointed out that it was time for PR to formulate new policies so that squatters were protected, especially those who had been occupying the land for generations.He also urged the state government to look into the rezoning of two early traditional Malay villages in Penang to be gazetted as “heritage villages” or “kampung warisan”. “Just like Iszuree, we, too, want the state government to put across a clear policy on their stand on such matters.
“A stand that could be thoroughly applied and used such as that used to resolve the issue of Kampung Buah Pala.“The absence of such policies will see people like us being continuously chased out from our homes and being victimised by developers,” he said, citing what was currently happening in Kampung Mutiara in Batu Ferringhi, Kampung Bagan Jermal and Kampung Tanjung Tokong including Kampung Siam as examples.“If the Pakatan Rakyat government is sincere in their claims to protect the rights of the rakyat, they should appreciate someone like Iszuree who has brought up issues on those occupying a place or village for more than a hundred years be given rights to protect its legacy on a part of the land earmarked for development,” he said.
