Felda settlers demand right to timber

They accuse the management of behaving as if it owns the rubber trees that they planted and nurtured.

SEREMBAN: Thirty-two Felda settlers have gone to court to assert their right to the rubber trees that they planted more than 20 years ago.

The settlers, from Felda Palong 9, yesterday filed an affidavit at the Seremban High Court to challenge a private company’s move to stop them from cutting the trees, which are no longer productive.

In a suit filed last month, the company’s owner said the Felda management had given him the right to cut the trees and take the timber for an agreed price. He sought an injunction from the court to prevent the settlers from cutting the trees themselves or appointing their own contractors to do it for them.

Altogether, the trees occupy about 10 acres.

PKR’s youth chief for Negeri Sembilan, Rebin Birham, who accompanied the settlers to the court, had harsh words against the Felda management.

He said it had “clearly breached common law” by behaving as if it owned the trees.

“Felda only manages the rubber lots, but the rightful owners of the lots are the settlers,” he said, adding that the management should have consulted the settlers before appointing the contractor.

The settlers said another company was offering a better price for the trees than the amount agreed between Felda and its contractor.

“Felda and its contractor are offering only RM33, 000 for the 10 acres, but the contractor we contacted is willing to pay RM46, 000,” said settler Hamsaton Mohamad, 55.

“Something is wrong somewhere.”

A rubber tree reaches its maximum maturity level after 20 to 25 years.

After that, it is no longer economical to tap it. That is when planters cut the trees for timber and re-seed the land.

The settlers were represented by P Rajasundram and T Kumar. - FMT