Thorny saga continues – MACC questions 8 Raub durian farmers

 

The MACC has recorded the statements of eight durian farmers in Raub, Pahang, to facilitate its investigations into a dispute involving unlicensed orchards.

This follows the Pahang Forestry Department cutting down 15,000 durian trees in the Batu Talam forest reserve.

Lawyer Collin Arvind Andrew, who is representing the farmers (above), said his clients were quizzed for about four hours from 10.30am to 2.30pm this afternoon.

“They had cooperated with the MACC officers who were also very professional. As of now, there have been no arrests. We will have to wait and see what action is taken next,” he said, according to a video shared by the Save Musang King Alliance (Samka).

He did not elaborate on the identities of the eight individuals or the reasons for the MACC investigation.

The Samka secretariat said the eight included applicants of a judicial review and some are the owners of the recently cleared unlicensed durian orchards.

The Pahang Forestry Department had cleared around 100 hectares of unlicensed durian orchards on July 11.

Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail had refuted allegations that the enforcement operation violated the Court of Appeal's interim stay order, saying it was carried out outside of the durian orchards owned by the Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP Sdn Bhd (RPDR-PKPP).

At the end of June 2020, the Pahang state government granted a lease and usage rights for 5,357 acres (2,168 ha) of land to RPDR-PKPP.

As the unlicensed durian farmers did not agree with the terms of the legalisation scheme set by the joint venture company, a total of 204 farmers then filed a judicial review to challenge the state government's decision.

Following this, an interim order was issued by the court against any enforcement action.

Last September, MACC had recorded the statements of 18 durian farmers.

At the time, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki revealed that his team had taken documents related to the matter from the Raub District and Land Office, the Raub District Forestry Office and the Raub Forest Rangers Office for further investigation about encroachment on state government land. - Mkini