CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The state government will issue another 21 temporary occupational lease (TOL) to farmers here.
Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said he would announce the grant in a ceremony Tuesday which would see recipients coming from both the Chinese and Malay communities.
According to him, this permits are in addition to the 51 already issued to vegetable farmers and flower growers as well as reservoir pond operators.
"We want to issue some more (TOL permits) there are Malays there are Chinese. Malays, there are four or five (recipients) and this shows that all this time, the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government has been aiding the people.
"We do not seize (the TOL lands) even now if we find (the recipients) are cultivating the land to support their family, we legalise (the illegal lands which was opened).
"Even if you have to pay a fine, it amounts to only RM1,500 per annum,” Wan Rosdy said in his speech at the opening of Dewan Puncak Arabella, Tanah Rata, here today.
Last December, a total of 51 vegetable farmers, flower growers and owners of reservoir ponds received permits to cultivate lands in the area's permanent forest reserve from the Pahang Forestry Department.