KUALA LUMPUR – The move to chop down about 15,000 Musang King durian trees has earned the condemnation of the Save Musang King Alliance (Samka) and a possible suit.
Samka president Wilson Chang in a statement yesterday said the “cruel and heartless” enforcement by the Pahang Forestry Department has made the lives of durian farmers more miserable amid a health crisis.
“The Pahang Forestry Department enforcement operation has violated the court order.
“They carried out the enforcement in Batu Talam (permanent) forest reserve, which is in Tras subdistrict and subject to the interim order.
“The state government has no authority to circumvent the court order.”
Samka will file a suit against the state government for contempt of court, and will not sign any “unequal contract with the consortium that will essentially turn them into modern-day slaves”, he added.
“What is even more appalling is that they even bragged that it was a proud achievement.
“In just a few minutes, the durian trees, which the farmers had planted and nurtured for the past 20 years, were turned to waste.
“Furthermore, the land clearing operation, involving some 100ha land, in less than a fortnight has created irreversible (damage) and severe impact on the environment.
“As such, the department’s excuse of environment preservation is unjustifiable, and only made itself a laughing stock.”
Chang said the trees were the only source of livelihood for the farmers, and their only hope to survive the pandemic.
The felling exercise has left them in distress, he added.
Yesterday, Berita Harian reported that nearly all 15,000 Musang King durian trees deemed illegally planted in the Batu Talam permanent forest reserve had been felled.
Pahang Forestry Department deputy enforcement director Nor Azirim Ahmad was quoted as saying that Op Pamah started on July 3, attributing the swift enforcement to the skills and number of the staff involved.
It was reported that more than 100 personnel from nearly all forestry district offices in the state joined in the operation.
“In nine days, almost all the 15,000 Musang King durian trees illegally planted were felled. Initially, the operation was expected to take a month,” said Nor Azirim.
“Next, we will be cleaning up the area to plant more than 20,000 forest trees.”
Last year, 204 durian farmers challenged eviction notices at the Kuantan high court via a judicial review, but their applications were dismissed on December 23.
They challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, and were granted a stay of execution on January 5.
The court order specifically states that the authorities are not allowed to evict or prevent the applicants from entering their farms. – The Vibes, July 12, 2021
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