GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) has dismissed claims that it had acted inhumanely in the eviction of 14 families from the Tanah Wakaf Masjid Abdul Cauder recently.
Its chairman Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said the state authorities were forced to act to safeguard the interest of the majority.
"We have been bleeding since 2010. This is the fourth court order we obtained, and it cost us more than RM80,000 each time to get the order. We have not acted on the three complaints previously.
"We have offered them (those evicted) the best compensation. People are saying Penang offers one of the best compensation. Ours is better than the best," he told newsmen here today.
Abdul Malik said the state government planned to redevelop the site into a highrise project to accomodate more people.
"If this plan had taken off as planned in 2010, the highrise could have been up and we would have been able to house hundreds of people.
"Now, nothing can be done until we get vacant possession of the site," he said, adding the state had also obtained a court order for the final eviction of a family today.
The Tanah Wakaf Abdul Cauder was endowed by one Kavana Ebrahim @ Burong back in 1892. There were originally 46 tenants staying there, paying a monthly rental of between RM2 and RM30.
In 2010, the Jabatan Wakaf, Zakat & Haji (JAWHAR) set aside RM50 million to redevelop the site. According to initial plans, they are planning to build a 22-storey medium-cost apartment building.
Of the 46 tenants, 32 willingly vacated to make way for the redevelopment.
Those who were evicted were offered a unit each upon completion.
For now, they are given RM4,000 one-off and a monthly rental of RM500 until the completion of the highrise.
Meanwhile, Abdul Malik said reports concerning Tanah Wakaf Abdul Cauder had been sent to the Prime Minister's Office, Deputy Prime Minister's Office and the office of the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in a Twitter posting, said that had instructed his officer to go to the ground to check on the eviction of tenants here and that of the Taman Manggis People's Housing Project (PPR).
His political secretary, Abu Bakar Yahya, was in town to speak to the evicted tenants and hear their side of the story.
It was reported that the eviction in the Tanah Wakaf Abdul Cauder turned ugly when tenants fought off the eviction.
Eleven people were detained. However, 10 were released the same night.