MB defends enforcement action against illegal Musang King durian orchards

KUANTAN: Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail has defended the state government's operations to combat illegal exploration, including destroying the Musang King durian orchards opened at the Batu Talam Permanent Forest Reserve (HSK) in Raub.

He stressed that the operation was not intended to persecute any party including farmers, but rather part of environmental conservation measures which were part of the main objectives of the state government.

"We are very serious about the issue of illegal land exploration now because it creates a negative perception of the state. When we go out, for example to Kuala Lumpur, we hear people talking that if one wants to plant durians illegally, he or she can go to Pahang, likewise, to steal sand and mine illegally as well.

"The durians planted were in the HSK area, where it is prohibited to do so under the law. If we were to wait until the end of the season, when (will that time come)? Because durians are planted in phases...when one side is harvested, the other side starts flowering, "he said.

Wan Rosdy said this when interjecting Chow Yu Hui (PH-Tras) debate on the Supply Enactment (2022) 2021 Bill during the Pahang State Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang here today.

Chow had raised the issue regarding an operation to destroy 15,000 durian trees in nine days in July, while the trees were fruiting, which he deemed as being indifferent to the loss of income that farmers would suffer, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Wan Rosdy stressed that the operation was not to harm the farmers, as they had been exploring the land illegally for 20 years without paying taxes to the state government, besides the fact that the 'agricultural activity' was no longer about finding one's sustenance, but had rather become a business for the parties involved.

"The land involved is illegal land, regardless of whether it has been worked on for one, two, or 20 years. When we enforced (the law), the feedback we received was that many were in favour. By right, (the opposition) should commend the government for daring to take action against illegal encroachment, not protest against the enforcement," he said.

Chow later explained that he agreed with the measure to protect the environment, but hoped the state government could discuss a win-win solution with the farmers involved, such as asking them to clear trees along the water catchment areas or rivers, besides creating buffer zones.

According to Chow, the farmers involved had also applied for grants or licenses several times, however, they were all rejected, and it showed that the authorities had knowledge of the land clearing, where appropriate enforcement action could have been taken at an early stage rather than decades later.

After exchanging words for almost 10 minutes, Wan Rosdy said the discussion need not be prolonged further because there were issues related to the land clearing for Musang King durian orchards still undergoing the legal process in the High Court here, following an application filed by some farmers.

Meanwhile, Lee Chean Chung (PH-Semambu) suggested that the reports and developments of Pahang Corporation (Pahang Corp) which was set up on March 21, 2019, to monitor all state government-linked companies (GLCs), be informed annually at the state assembly conference, for the sake of transparency and professionalism.

"Pahang Corp is not incorporated as a statutory body, so it is not required to submit a report to the state assembly. Because the elected representatives of both parties do not receive reports on its achievements, it is like a 'black box' that cannot be monitored, even though it is like the mother of GLCs in Pahang," he said.

The sitting continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA