Copyright 2000 BERNAMA (Malaysian National News Agency) Malaysia General News
October 3, 2000

BODY: The state government will revoke the Temporary Occupation Licence

(TOL) of vegetable farmers trespassing on the forest reserve in Sungai Palas, Cameron Highlands and issue compounds of RM5,000 to them.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said court action would also be taken against contractors appointed by the licence holders for trespassing on the 1.7415-hectare forest reserve there.

He said the land administrator had also issued notices to vacate the site within two weeks from Sept 28.

"The state government is concerned over the matter...the licence had been abused with a portion of the hill being flattened by the

contractors appointed by the licensee...Still not satisfied, the contractor had trespassed into the forest reserve," he said here today.

An area of 0.81 hectares had been approved previously on a TOL basis for residents there to plant vegetables, he said.

"I have asked for immediate action that the State Forestry Director charge the contractor concerned under the Forestry Act," he said.

Adnan said the Forestry Department would replant the cleared land in the forest reserve with trees of jungle species while the vegetables planted on the TOL land would be destroyed.

On supervision to prevent a recurrence of the incidents, the Menteri Besar said he had directed the Forestry Department and the Land and Mines Department to monitor such cases from time to time, adding that such monitoring would not be easy.

"We (state government) will also discuss further whether we should allow areas to be opened up for vegetable farming in Cameron Highlands...I will bring up the matter at the weekly Exco meeting tomorrow," he added. Error: Unable to read footer file.