Seven people, including former Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan, were arrested during a sit-in protest over the Pahang government's enforcement action against illegal vegetable farms at Kuala Terla water catchment area in Cameron Highlands.
The enforcement operation, dubbed Ops Lestari 2, was jointly carried out by Pahang Land Office, police and Federal Reserves Unit (FRU).
Cameron Highlands district police chief Ashari Abu Samah confirmed the arrest of the seven and said the operation will be continued until Jan 3, 2019.
The seven were still giving their statements to police as of 5.30pm today, he told Malaysiakini.
They were all released on police bail at 7pm.
Apart from Gobalakrishnan, who was formerly with PKR and is now an MIC central working committee member, MIC Youth secretary G Theeageesh, 27, was also arrested together with five farmers.
MIC central working committee member MP Nathan, who was present, when contacted, said MIC members went to Kuala Terla to support the farmers who risk losing their vegetable farms.
He added that the farmers and supporters had sat along the main road to protest the operation.
The police then arrested the seven to disperse the crowd around 11am, Nathan said.
Meanwhile, Tanah Rata assemblyperson Chiong Yoke Kong said this is the second operation this month following the Bertam Valley operation last Wednesday.
He estimated that 300 acres of farms and land will be cleared in today's operation at Sungai Ichat, Kuala Terla.
The operation caused a 30-minute jam at the main road, he added.
Chiong said the state government should work to relocate the farmers before resorting to enforcement.
He said the state government had previously relocated farmers in an earlier operation to Kampung Raja.
In September, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah reportedly visited the illegal farms encroaching the water catchment area near Sungai Ichat.
The Agong had called on all quarters to immediately stop illegal encroachment in the water catchment area.
Meanwhile, the Pahang government defended the enforcement action, stating that it was in the interest of the public.
Pahang state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak said there were a total of 48 illegal encroachment covering 121ha.
He added that the area has a water plant which supplies clean water to more than 70 percent of the population in Cameron Highlands and the Pahang government won't compromise on its safety.
Sallehuddin said the enforcement action was taken under Section 425(1) of the National Land Code 1965 for occupying government land without permission since 2009.
"The notice of eviction had been issued since Aug 19, 2009, but illegal encroachment persisted," he said.
Sallehuddin said an earlier operation was carried out in March this year but ceased after the farmers obtained an injunction from the Kuantan High Court.
"However, the plaintiffs retracted their originating summons and stopped their suit on Sept 30, 2019," he said.
Sallehuddin also pointed out that the Agong called for an end to illegal encroachment of the water catchment area.
"Following this, the National Security Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Oct 14 decided to have the army and police's General Operations Force (GOF) to patrol the area to prevent illegal encroachment.
"Furthermore, the joint-action committee on rehabilitating Cameron Highlands chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail on Dec 9 agreed for Ops Lestari 2 to proceed along with the deployment of security forces in Cameron Highlands beginning Dec 16," he said.
Sallehuddin added that in order to preserve the area, the Pahang government had on March 13 also gazetted 121.12ha as the Sungai Ichat forest reserve. - Mkini
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