Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) Cameron Highlands secretary Suresh Balasubramaniam said the protesters would gather at Wisma Sri Pahang on May 23.
“Hundreds of letters, tens of memorandums and numerous discussions have taken place in the last 10 years… that’s enough. It’s time for us to protest,” he told a press conference here today.
Despite all their efforts, he said, the Pahang state government had failed to resolve the landownership issues involving over 1,000 residents and farmers.
“It has been almost 60 years since Malaysia gained independence, but the Pahang government still treats the issue of landownership in Cameron Highlands like in the feudal era. In fact, there are over 1,000 people who have yet to obtain permanent landownership.
“Adnan made all sorts of sweet promises, and during the protest in front of Wisma Sri Pahang in July 2012, the menteri besar said all issues of landownership would be resolved within the next six months. But since then, only one case under our watch has been resolved.”
Besides the landownership issue, Suresh said, over 500 temporary residence licences for small farmers in Ringlet and Lembah Bertam, had not been renewed since 2015.
“Doesn’t this mean that these farmers will be forced to live at the mercy of Adnan and the Pahang government?”
He also alleged that the state government had given priority to private companies instead of residents and farmers.
“When a private company needed land, the Pahang government gazetted 33 hectares of land from the Hulu Bertam forest reserve, and they sold the Brinchang military camp when the area was needed for a commercial project.”
Because of this, he said, PSM along with Cameron Highlands farmers and residents would hand over another memorandum to Adnan on May 23.
Suresh did not deny the possibility that the case would be brought to court, if the need arose.
“We have discussed it with our lawyers, but there is no concrete decision yet. We believe the protest is a more concrete form of action, and it will put some pressure on the (state) government.”