Patrick Lee The Star 12 Nov 13;
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will be looking at opening up new plots for farmers to work on in Cameron Highlands to prevent further clearing of hillsides, according to Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
“We have to look for low-lying areas to cultivate. If we anger the farmers, they will also be angry with me because I am also the MP for that area,” he said.
“So, I have to look for areas where we can shift them and give them farming plots,” he added.
He admitted that Cameron Highlands’ land problems have caused a drop in tourists.
“People have stopped coming already. Most of them are going to Genting Highlands,” he added.
He said his constituents were worried and angry over the illegal activities there, although he added that farmers there had become rich due to their agricultural successes.
Palanivel said his ministry would be meeting with the local land office and Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob’s office over land “replanning” efforts.
He said the ministry was also looking into tree planting campaigns for the region.
The Natural Resources and Environment Minister said the constant threat of landslides, the annual RM2bil agricultural export and the sharp fall of tourism there are causes for concern.
“Even though the land office gives the farmers land, they go beyond that,” he told reporters at the Sunway Putra Hotel.
Palanivel was also queried over the Sunday landslide in Brinchang, which saw two people injured.
Plan to relocate farmers away from Camerons
New Straits Times 12 Nov 13;
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is looking for new sites to relocate farmers in Cameron Highlands to curb illegal land clearing activities.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the ministry had had discussions with the district officer, Land Office and Pahang menteri besar's office, to identify suitable land for the farmers.
"The illegal land clearing activities should be curbed as soon as possible, as they have adverse effects on the environment, such as landslides and floods."
He said the activities had also affected the tourism sector in Cameron Highlands.
"The main problem in Cameron Highlands is that illegal land clearing is are not controlled. Farmers are making their way right to the hilltop when they should do farming only in designated land which is in the valley," he said after launching the Forestry and Forest Products Research 2013 Conference here yesterday.
Palanivel said a farmer involved in such illegal activities would "seize" between 0.8 and 1.6ha of state land. The Pahang government had allocated 5,705ha of land with temporary occupation licences for these activities.
He said agricultural products from Cameron Highlands contributed more than RM2 billion to the country's exports.
He added that he would discuss the matter with the relevant authorities and farmers to provide new land plots to increase exports.
Palanivel said to curb illegal land clearing activities, the ministry would reinitiate the "Tree Planting Campaign".
He said the ministry, with the Department of Environment and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, were working on the reforestation plans.
"We are trying to select the right plant species that will well-protect the highlands.
"Over the last few months, we have sent many teams to study ways to protect the environment and to determine the species of trees to plant."
On another matter, Palanivel said FRIM was looking for a suitable site in Sungai Besi here to develop a "Forest In the City" as a new tourist spot.
