Kg Chempaka village head’s house targeted by vandals

Jamaliah: Enforcement action may have offended the culprits

RED paint intended as a message to the Kampung Chempaka village head was mistakenly splashed at her neighbour’s house.The area’s local councillor also received a voice message, and both incidents are believed to be linked to a land issue at the Petaling Jaya village.

Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin, during a press conference at the village, related the sequence of events.

She said on the morning of Sept 5, her office received a report that Kampung Chempaka village head Theresa Lim’s house had been splashed with red paint while Zone 7 councillor John Leong received a voice message from an unknown number a day earlier.

Jamaliah said the people who splashed the red paint thought they were attacking Lim’s house but it was in fact the village head’s neighbour’s house.

She suspected the incidents were related to a recent tip-off to the authorities that resulted in the culprits getting penalised.

The culprits blamed Lim and Leong for the penalty imposed on them.

“The enforcement action by relevant agencies may have upset the culprits, but it is disheartening that Theresa (Lim) and John (Leong) were threatened for carrying out their duty,” she told reporters.

Jamaliah said police reports had been lodged and that her office would continue with efforts to find the culprits with the help of the police.She said the voice message to Leong from the unknown person stated: “Why do you want to do this to me?” and “If you want to lock, lock all you want”.

She added that when Leong called to clarify, the person did not respond.

Jamaliah said issues relating to use of state government land in Kampung Chempaka were not under Lim or Leong’s jurisdiction, but district land office.

She warned the culprits that their actions would have consequences.

“We will not let this slide and will follow up on the investigation,” she added.

Meanwhile, Leong said he suspected the culprits were upset that enforcement agencies clamped down on their illegal activities on government land.