RAUB: Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including armed forces veteran gave the thumbs-up for the Pahang government's move to bring land encroachment activities here to an end.
Pertubuhan Martabat Jalinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM) president Abdul Rani Kulup Abdullah, who led the group to lodge 30 police reports today, said Pahang has emerged as the first state to take serious action on the illegal land clearing matter.
"The Pahang government has made a firm stand on the matter and I believe this issue occurs in other states as well. I hope the government will carry out special operations like those done in the past to curb land encroachment activities in the country.
"We lodged the police report today to express our support to the Pahang government for taking action against the 111 farmers who have illegally cleared forest reserve measuring about 4,400ha to plant durians," he told reporters outside the district police station today.
Abdul Rani, who represented the NGOs, said government agencies must be efficient and transparent in trying to solve the issues involving land encroachment.
"The government must be stern against trespassers who enter state land and take swift action to ensure no one attempts to encroach into the land in the future," he said.
Some 135 NGO representatives including their leaders held a peaceful assembly outside the Raub district police station to express their support towards the state government in tackling the land encroachment issue here.
Last month, the Pahang government started acting against illegal durian orchard operators in Raub by introducing a land legalisation scheme under Royal Pahang Durian Resources-PKPP Sdn Bhd (RPDR-PKPP).
The state government in a statement claimed it suffered losses of up to RM30 million in the form of land tax over the past 10 years.
The durian orchards are located in the Sungai Klau, Sungai Ruan, Sungai Chalit, Tranum and Tras.