Settlers of Ladang Tennamaram in Tanjung Karang, Selangor, are up in arms against the state government for leasing the land they have settled on for the last four decades, to two newly established companies to conduct agricultural work on.

According to the group of about 100 settlers who held a protest yesterday, the Pakatan Harapan-led state government did not hold any discussion with them before giving the lease to the 800-acre land, where they cultivate oil palm and grow vegetables.

"There was no discussion, no notice whatsoever. The companies came here and just built the road. We were not consulted or engaged," Malaysiakini quoted R Logarajan, one of the community leaders present at the memorandum handing ceremony yesterday.

He was referring to the road the plantation workers started building into the plantation about seven months ago.

Logarajan, who is also an MIC leader for the era, expressed worry that the settlers would get kicked out from the land they have called home for about 40 years, once works on the land begin.

According to K Siva, another representative of the group, the settlers are currently allowed to enter the plantation to collect their crops, but they have been told that once the road construction is completed in the areas, they will be barred from going in as the crop will be demolished.

Meanwhile, Tanjung Karang MP Noh Omar, who joined the protestors, said the two companies involved were set up in July 2018 - just two months prior to being given the lease.

"Not only that this 'robber' of a state goverment gave the lease to two companies that share the same address and are run by the same people, but they also awarded the lease to the two companies just two months after they were incorporated. Is this fair?" the portal quoted the Umno lawmaker as saying.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Edmund Santhara, who was also present, assured that he would fight for the settlers, and pledged to take up the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Malaysiakini is in the midst of getting comments from the Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari's office, as well as state executive councillor in charge of agriculture affairs Izham Hashim.


Source: Malaysiakini
Photo source: Malaysiakini