CAMERON HIGHLANDS: For months, foreigners have been working on illegal vegetable farms within the Mentigi and Bertam Forest Reserves near here, believing that the authorities were in the dark over their activities.
However, little known to the 'foreign farmers', the Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM)'s Intelligence Unit had detected suspicious movements within the forest reserve before planning to 'strike' the illegal farms yesterday.
The raiding teams found an assortment of vegetables planted at farms measuring 14.86ha in the forest reserves but the foreign workers managed to flee before the raid.
Pahang Forestry Department's deputy director (operation) Dr Grippin Akeng said the operation was conducted following information on the presence of illegal farms from the intelligence unit and enforcement team which had earlier conducted surveillance at both the forest reserves.
"The illegal farms were widely grown with green beans, radish, cabbage and onions believed by locals as the mastermind.
"Foreigners were hired to work on the farms and sell the products...all the workers managed to escape before the operation.
"All the crops, fertiliser stores and workers hut (quarters) at the farms were demolished to ensure there will be no repeat of similar activities in the future," Grippin said.
He added that the sites will be rehabilitated by planting suitable highland forest trees including species like Meranti Bukit and Gerok.
Grippin said the high demand for vegetables grown in the high areas in Cameron Highlands might have prompted some irresponsible quarters to encroach deep into the forest reserves to conduct illegal farming activities.
"The department will continue to increase monitoring at the other forest reserves here including at Ulu Bertam, Batu Gangan, Sungai Wi and Terisu to prevent encroachment.
Integrated operations will be conducted in Cameron Highlands regularly to put an end to vegetable farming activities within forest reserves," he said.
Meanwhile, Grippin said the operation involved 148 personnel from the Pahang forestry department, JPSM, Cameron Highlands district and land office, district forestry officer, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Immigration Department, Works Department, police and Pahang enforcement unit.