PUTRAJAYA: The government has waged an all-out war against those operating illegally in Cameron Highlands, pledging to flush out the root causes of the recent floods and mudslides that has so far claimed five lives.
Apart from developing an improved flood mitigation plan, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the action involved a wide-scale joint-operation to weed out and punish illegal operators and immigrants responsible for the disaster.
Muhyiddin said stern action was needed to prevent a recurrence of the fatal flooding as illegal operations with foreign illegals had encroached on some 6,000 hectares of land, which did not comply with standards.
He said poor enforcement was also a problem in the district and several operators had previously "challenged" the local authorities to prevent them from carrying out their duties.
"We must show our authority and enforce the matter fully,"
"We will take stern action against on the foreign illegals and operators who have no right over the land send a clear message that there will be no forgiveness," he said after chairing a special emergency meeting with the National Security Council (NSC).
Muhyiddin said the operations, which involved the Immigration Department and Royal Malaysian Police Force, among others would begin immediately.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), he said, will also be roped in to investigate graft elements.