As Malaysians grapple with a food crisis, 12 farming communities in Perak are facing eviction and staring at a bleak future.
There is some consolation in the form of PSM, whose lawyers are assisting more than 300 vegetable farmers from Chemor, Bidor and Kampar through legal actions and petitions.
According to documents sighted by Malaysiakini, those with land grants who are driving the farmers out are mostly developers seeking to build residential areas on these lands.
This is despite the “2021 Malaysia Annual Property Market Report” revealing that Perak is the sixth among states with the highest number of unsold properties. In total, 2,748 units remain unsold.
Meanwhile, PSM pointed to the “dubious backgrounds” of some landowners. It also claimed that the state government is selling land at bargain-basement prices.
Case 1: From prawn farming to residential houses
In 2019, eight farmers from Sungai Pari, Chemor received letters from Bukit Aneka Sdn Bhd demanding them to vacate the 22.7ha land within a month.
Lawyers later discovered that the Perak Department of Lands and Mines granted a temporary occupation licence (TOL) to Bukit Aneka in 1993.
According to PSM chairperson Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, the property investment firm initially applied to farm freshwater prawns but switched to constructing affordable houses in 2014.
Later, Bukit Aneka altered the land purpose again, this time to build general residential housing.
Bukit Aneka is solely owned by LTS Properties Sdn Bhd, which was founded and owned by tycoon Law Tien Seng. He is also the honorary adviser of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia (Hua Zong).
The farmers are currently locked in a legal dispute. The matter is pending over their bid to include Perak Department of Lands and Mines in the case to explain prioritising Bukit Aneka over farmers.
Case 2: ‘Heavenly king’ awarded 41.7ha of farming land
According to an affidavit sighted by Malaysiakini, the Perak state government awarded 41.7ha (103 acres) in Pusing to Tee Yam Holdings Sdn Bhd on Aug 25, 2017.
The company is owned by Koo Tee Yam, a controversial businessperson who is listed as one of Kuala Lumpur’s “four heavenly kings" underworld figures.
Four months later, on Dec 15, 2017, Tee Yam sold the land to two businesspersons, who paid a down payment of RM2.5 million.
Based on the typical 10 percent down payment practice, Jeyakumar said the land was sold for RM25 million or in other words, RM250,000 per acre.
“What has Tee Yam contributed to the people of Perak (to be given the land)?” asked the former Sungai Siput MP.
PSM reported this issue to MACC and its chief commissioner Azam Baki last year.
The farmers are pursuing the case in court. The outcome would determine the fate of 19 families.
Case 3: Farming land awarded to football team as gift
In May 2019, the Perak football team defeated Terengganu to win the Malaysia Cup.
As a reward, then menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu awarded land to them to build houses.
The land earmarked for this purpose was 9.7ha in Tanah Hitam, where 11 farmers are cultivating vegetables.
Following the menteri besar’s announcement, the farmers received letters from the government instructing them to vacate the land in two weeks.
The farmers have since appointed a lawyer to initiate legal proceedings against the state government and Perak Department of Lands and Mines.
Case 4: Companies owned by ex-MCA Youth leader
During the 80s, the Perak state government initiated a “Vegetable Farming Project” (Projek Persayuran) in the Ulu Kinta area. Farmers from Belakang Chemor successfully applied to rent farming lands under the project, but their dreams have now come to an end.
Last March, 20 farmers received letters from two companies - Kinding Maju Sdn Bhd and Infinite Acres Sdn Bhd - stating that they owned the 32ha of land. The farmers were told to vacate within three months to pave the way for the construction of houses.
The two real estate companies have common shareholders - Liew Yin Yin Land Sdn Bhd and Liew Mun Hon.
Mun Hon is the former Ipoh Timur MCA Youth chief. In the 2008 general election, he lost to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang in the Ipoh Timur seat. Mun Hon is the chairperson of Liew Yin Yin Group Berhad - the parent company of Liew Yin Yin Land Sdn Bhd.
The group is working with the Perak government to build affordable houses in Kinta, Bidor and Sungkai.
Case 5: Farming land sold at 65pct discount?
According to Perak Department of Lands and Mines’s records, the ownership of 19.4ha (48 acres) of land near Taman Chepor Sentosa was transferred from the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) to KM Majubina Sdn Bhd.
The eight farmers who were working on the land challenged the land transfer in court.
During the proceedings, KM Majubina presented a deed of assignment to the court, which revealed the firm paid RM4.82 million to PKNP.
A check on iProperty revealed that one acre in the area is valued at RM290,000, which means that the market rate for 48 acres should be around RM13.92 million.
Therefore, Jeyakumar said the state government incurred a huge loss by selling the land at around RM100,000 per acre to KM Majubina.
He questioned the motive behind the 65 percent or RM9.1 million discount.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad's office and the abovementioned developers for their responses.
Farmers being evicted by housing developers
Besides the five cases mentioned above, another seven groups of farmers are also facing eviction in Perak.
1. Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP), which is owned by the state government, plans to build the Silver Valley Technology Park, which will reclaim a total of 422.9ha of farming land in Kanthan, Chemor. Under this project, 132 farmers will be evicted.
2. Some 20ha of farming land near Taman Chepor Impian, Chemor was partly cleared by a property investment company - Ain Bina Sdn Bhd. The firm claimed to be the actual landowner. Eight farmers and activists tried to stop the eviction but were arrested. Ain Bina plans to build a residential area.
3. Thirty-six farmers from Changkat Kinding, Chemor discovered that their farming land had been transferred to Generasi Simbolik Sdn Bhd when they received notices to vacate in May. Generasi Simbolik, a subsidiary of LBS Bina Holdings, plans to build a housing project on the 101ha.
4. In Kuala Kampar, the Perak Agriculture State Development Corporation (PPPNP) leased farming land cultivated by 10 farmers to Suria Fishery Sdn Bhd.
5. In Tanah Hitam, Chemor, the state government sold 6.5ha to housing developer Saujana Amanjaya Properties Sdn Bhd. Sixteen farmers have been ordered to vacate the land.
6. In Mambang Diawan, Kampar, 156ha was sold to Deslcon Properties Sdn Bhd. The livelihood of 100 farmers will be affected.
7. In Bidor, 28ha was sold to Selangor-based Bangsa Mahir Sdn Bhd. Bangsa Mahir’s nature of business is “activities of holding companies”. - Mkini
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