I urged the Pahang state government to consider the plight of Cameron Highlands’ farmers and not carry out harsh enforcement action against farms located in the road and river reserves.
Last week, some farmers from Blue Valley, Cameron Highlands were instructed by Pahang Land and Mines Department to vacate part of their farms located in road and river reserves in two weeks, failing which enforcement actions will be carried out. During Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s visit to Cameron Highlands, which was also attended by Menteri Besar Pahang, I raised this issue to Menteri Besar Pahang Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy and urged the state government to be sympathetic toward farmers’ difficulties and plight.
In the end, Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy promised to reduce the areas involved in the enforcement action, whereby the farm areas located in the river reserve have to be vacated, whereas enforcement actions against the road reserve would be put on hold.
I explained to Pahang MB Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy that Blue Valley farmers have been farming their land for decades to make a living. Besides, many farmers have been facing ever-increasing financial burdens due to the disruptions of the food supply chain during the pandemic as well as rising agricultural costs such as fertilizer prices and agricultural land rental.
Furthermore, I added that when the government constructed the FT185 Federal Road that connects Lojing Highlands and Simpang Pulai, farmers in Blue Valley willingly vacated part of their farms without seeking compensation from the government.
As such, I called upon the government to consider and be sympathetic toward farmers’ plight in order to achieve a win-win situation. Subsequently, Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy decided to only carry out enforcement action against farms in the river reserve to prepare for future river upgrading projects. As for farms located in the road reserve, Dato’ Sri Wan Rosdy agreed to put enforcement actions on hold, considering that Cameron Highlands’ farmers are faced with many challenges and difficulties.