SHAH ALAM: For more than three years, a syndicate had cleared stretches of the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Tanjung Karang to plant oil palm.

More than 300ha have been felled by the syndicate members who operated with impunity under the very noses of the authorities.

This is the latest land scandal involving the syndicate, responsible for ravaging a water catchment area and threatening padi farms in Sekincan.

The New Straits Times reported earlier this month that more than 650ha at three sites, in and around the Raja Musa and Tanjung Karang forest reserves, had been cleared by the syndicate.

Yesterday, Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Swee Lim said he had documents to prove that a local politician had lent his support to the syndicate.
Ng said he would raise the matter in the state assembly next week and would be naming the culprit.

He denied claims by opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo who alleged that the destruction of the forest reserve started last year and that Pakatan Rakyat politicians were behind the syndicate.

"We have proof that the syndicate had been operating long before Pakatan Rakyat took over the state," he said.

He urged those who had paid between RM8,000 and RM8,500 for plots at the Raja Musa Forest Reserve to come forward and help in the investigation.

It was reported that the syndicate had raked in millions of ringgit from no less than 100 buyers.