Are Ulu Yam vegetables
farmers victims of political tussle between the State and the Federal
Governments?
Media Statement
by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew
(Petaling Jaya,
Friday): After
receiving considerable supports from various organizations, political
parties, universities and the Ministry of Agriculture, one would have
thought that the Selangor State Government will drop its plan to evict the
Ulu Yam vegetables farmers.
But it appears to the affected
farmers that the State Government will continue its plan to turn the
valuable farms into a new housing estate through its investment arm,
Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB).The Menteri Besar has been keeping
mum on the issue, showing no sign of compromise. Datuk Ch’ng Toh Eng, the
man trusted by the MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Kah Ting to help resolved
the issue now appeared powerless and seems to have done nothing to revert
the situation. He even refused to discuss the matter when I met him in his
office on Feb 6, 2005.
The DAP has helped the farmers
to bring their case to the Parliament in December 2004. Our Parliamentarians
have also helped to hand over a memorandum to the Minister of Agriculture
and the Prime Minister. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has since met the
delegation headed by the president of Malaysian Vegetables Farmers
Association over the matter. While he has not made any commitment to help
the affected Ulu Yam farmers, he has taken note on the plight of the farmers
and the importance and significance of the 600-acred Ulu Yam vegetables
farms (one of the largest in the country).
The DAP and other organizations
such as the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Selangor Chinese Chamber of
Commerce and the Malaysian Vegetables Farmers Association have pointed out
very clearly to the Selangor State Government that such eviction will be
seen as a defiance of national policy on the part of the State Government.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly announced that the Federal Government is
determined to promote agriculture, making the sector the third economic
growth engine for the country.
It is quite easy for the
Selangor Menteri Besar to resolve the matter since the land and the housing
project were all under his jurisdiction and power. But he appears to have
defied the policy set by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
for reasons best known to him. So, are Ulu Yam vegetables farmers victims of
political tussle between the State and the Federal Governments?
(18/2/2005)
* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew,
DAP International Secretary and NGO bureau chief
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