2 weeks Ago By T.N. Alagesh
Two-term Tras assemblyman Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji has called for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the issue of illegal durian farms in the area.Tengku Zulpuri, a former Raub member of parliament, said the illegal farms in the district had been an "open secret" for over 30 years."Many people were unaware (in the past) because the durian trees were planted deep inside the forest, where there was no proper access," he said.
"Now that durians are popular and in high demand, people have started to realise that there are illegal farms."He said he could not say for certain if there were elements of wrongdoing aside from trespassing."But the MACC should launch an investigation.
"Tengku Zulpuri said this was especially important following a viral video from a recent operation against illegal farms, in which a farmer could be heard shouting "you know we have already paid". Former Tras assemblyman Choong Siew Onn said in the past, illegal land use issues were handled through discussions were held between affected parties and the authorities."During my tenure, I spoke with the authorities and some farmers managed to obtain temporary permits to operate their farms," said Choong, who served between 2008 and 2018.
"However, I believe that the size of those farms was much smaller than what we see today."He said the authorities had also carried out enforcement operations against both unlicensed farmers and those with licences who violated regulations.It is understood that licensed and unlicensed farms in the Tras state constituency were previously located in areas such as Sungai Ruan, Sang Lee, Sungai Chalit, Sungai Chetang, Tras, Tranum and Sungai Klau, involving some 1,000 farmers.
A former state political leader, who declined to be named, said in the past, land disputes were resolved through negotiations with the state government.These talks, the leader said, led to the issuance of land use permits for ginger farmers in Bentong and temporary occupation licences for vegetable growers in Cameron Highlands."Once a win-win situation is reached, it usually helps defuse tensions and brings long-standing issues to a close," said the leader, who refused to comment if the unlicensed farms got the nod from political parties.
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