KUALA LUMPUR: Crops produced by foreigners could be a threat to consumer health, due to excessive use of pesticides, said a university professor.
In the event of heavy rain, excessive use of poisons or fertilisers could also threaten aquatic life, said Universiti Putra Malaysia's Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security director Professor Dr Anjas Asmara Samsudin.
"The residue from these pesticides or fertilisers can flow into waterways, disrupting the river ecosystem," he said in a recent report.
Anjas Asmara said uncontrolled exploitation of hillside areas for vegetable farming could also lead to landslides.
"From an economic perspective, the government also stands to lose revenue because these foreign workers do not pay taxes, such as land or income tax," he added.
Yesterday, the sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah expressed concern over farmland in the state being leased to foreigners.
He cited plots of land in the Cameron Highlands that had been leased and rented out to farmers but were now being leased to foreigners.
Al-Sultan Abdullah urged people to work with the authorities by channelling information on any crime or misconduct, as this was a joint responsibility.
He wants the state government and authorities to do an in-depth study on the development plan in Cameron Highlands.