MKN Secretary Alias Ahmad said the council also found three new areas, covering 7ha, had also been encroached for the same purpose.

“Under the Ops Gading, we had ‘whitened’ almost 83% of the areas that were exploited (for illegal farming).

“Now under Phase 2 of the operation, we are finding eight of these areas have been re-cultivated illegally and three new areas encroached.

“Of the re-cultivated areas, four are in Ringlet, two in Sungai Mansion, one in Kampung Raja and one in Bertam Valley.

“The new areas opened up are in Blue Valley and Bertam valley.”

He said this after chairing a meeting of the Ops Gading Phase 2 technical committee at the Land and District Office here today.

Phase 2 was launched in May and Phase 1 in December 2014 to weed out illegal farming in the sensitive environment and flooding of illegal workers seeking employment at the farms.

Under Phase 1, 83% of illegal structures on 2,258ha of illegally encroached land were demolished.

Alias said so far, 84 investigation papers had been opened and two individuals had been convicted and fined RM10,000.

The media was also brought along in one of the enforcement operations at the Blue Valley where Tenaga Nasional Berhad staff cut off electricity supply in areas which had been encroached illegally.

Some 60 personnel from 18 agencies, among them the police and Immigration Department, are involved in the latest operation in Camerons.

– BERNAMA