Penang CM’s pol sec among 100 facing eviction

By TAN SIN CHOW (The Star)

GEORGE TOWN: Ng Wei Aik, the political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, is among 100 people in 13 houses on two streets here who have been asked to vacate the pre-war houses by July 31.

The owner is said to have sold the property in Lebuh Peking and Lebuh McNair and issued the tenants a one-month notice on June 29, asking them to leave and deliver vacant possession of the premises before the end of this month.

The tenants, according to Ng, who is also Komtar assemblyman, received the notice early this month. Ng has since written a letter to the owner in the hope that he would grant them extension in delivering vacant possession of the premises.

“The one-month period is too short. Many tenants do not have enough time to look for other places even if they are willing to move out,” said Ng when met at the site with other tenants.

He also hoped that the new owner would execute a fresh tenancy agreement with the tenants.

“As they have occupied the premises for a long time ago, I hope the owner can persuade the new owner to continue with the tenancy agreement with those who are still keen to stay here,” he said.

Housewife Tan Hooi Len, 33, said she had just spent more than RM30,000 on renovations before being informed of the owner’s decision to sell the premises and land.

“We should have been told earlier of the owner’s decision. If he wanted to sell, we should have been given priority to buy,” she said.

Another tenant, Ong Saw Keng, 62, said: “The owner should have stopped us from carrying out renovations. We have spent so much money, only to be asked to move out now. This is not right,” said Ong, a fishmonger who has been living there for 16 years.