CAMERON HIGHLANDS: A T least six new sites that are illegally cleared for farming, covering more than 1,000ha— equivalent to about 1,400 football fields — have been identified in the highlands for the past three months.
The sites are in Gunung Siku Permanent Forest Reserve at the border of Blue Valley and Kampung Raja, Sungai Ikan in Kampung Raja, Sungai Jarik in Kuala Terla, Sungai Mensun in Brinchang, Sungai Lemoi in Bertam Valley and Ulu Merah in Ringlet.
At some of the sites, it was observed that clearing works had just started, while at other sites, they had been turned into vegetable farms.
The New Straits Times visited the site in Sungai Jarik, about 20km from the Jalan Brinchang-Kampung Raja trunk road, and found that it was planted with brinjal and maize, spreading over 4ha.
There is also a kongsi house for the farm’s foreign workers.
It was also observed that several excavators had been brought in to carry out more land clearing works in the area for more illegal farming activities.
It was learnt that area was raided and demolished by authorities last May.
A Nepalese worker, identified as Tika Ram Kami, who was handling one of the excavators, said he had been working on the farm for several months now, but declined to elaborate.
Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan, who accompanied the reporter to the site, said some of the illegally cleared sites had affected and threatened the highlands’ water catchment areas.
“It is bad enough that the highlands are facing sporadic water problems. Now, these illegal land clearing activities are moving into water catchment areas.
“What is becoming of the highlands? What will it take for the authorities to act? I don’t understand why they are closing one eye to all of these things happening here.”
Ramakrishnan said he found it disturbing that the authorities had no proper data on land clearing activities in the highlands.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the wide-scale integrated operation involving various government agencies, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, would be carried out in Cameron Highlands in a week or two.
“The operation will target illegal foreign workers and those responsible for illegal land clearing in the highlands.
“We have identified more than 4,500 illegal foreign workers there,” said Shahidan, who is also the National Security Council chairman, after chairing a special meeting on issues plaguing the highlands at the parliament yesterday.
The meeting was attended by representatives from relevant government agencies, including the police, Immigration Department and Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.
Last Sunday, the Immigration Department launched Op Gempak Mesra and detained 181 foreigners working in the service sector here for not having valid travel documents.
On Monday, its deputy director-general, Datuk Sakib Kusmi, said following the success of the operation, the department would next target errant employers and illegal foreign workers in the farming sector.
He was quoted as saying that the department would use Section 55A and Section 55B of the Immigration Act to prosecute errant employers in courts in spite of Section 56(1)(d) of the act, which merely warranted a compound.
The Pahang government had on Monday conceded that it had not done enough to stop the influx of illegal immigrants and catch the culprits responsible for illegal land clearing in the highlands.
“When the state government failed to take action against those involved in the illegal activities, aggressive illegal land clearing continued unabated by irresponsible parties who want to make big profits,” said state secretary Datuk Seri Muhammad Safian Ismail in an exclusive report by the New Straits Times yesterday.
The admission came a day after Muhyiddin’s announcement on Sunday that the government would wage an all-out war to end corrupt practices, and the influx of illegal immigrants and illegal land clearing by farmers who had encroached on more than 6,000ha of land in Cameron Highlands.
Muhyiddin said the government had to take drastic action to protect the environment and safeguard the people, adding that any individual, including politicians, who offered protection to the illegal activities would not be spared.
Last Wednesday, a downpour caused mud floods and landslides in Kampung Raja, Pekan Ringlet and the Bertam Valley in Cameron Highlands, claiming five lives and forcing more than 90 people from 28 families to be evacuated.
Last year, Bertam Valley was hit by a mud flood that claimed four lives and damaged more than 100 houses.