This comes after PSM and farmers – including her late husband – started pestering the Pahang state government for land rights over the farms they have been working on since the 1970s.

Cameron Highlands PSM secretary Suresh Balasubramaniam brought FMT to meet 60-year-old Muniamah Kutusamy, who is living with one of her four sons, who now works the farm.

Muniamah told FMT that before she was granted ownership of the land, it seemed like their lives were in limbo.

“We never knew what would happen and as a mother, I was always most worried for my children,” she said.

She said in 2014 she was horrified when the state government issued an order to have her neighbours’ farms and house demolished.

“We were left worrying whether the next day the state government would be at our door with tractors to evict us and this was the case until 2015.”

In 2015, PSM’s fight had borne fruit when the state government had agreed not to carry out demolition works.

“This was also around the time her husband was on his deathbed,” Suresh said.

In June, Muniamah was among the four lucky farmers and their families who were finally granted land rights.

“When my time has passed, I can go knowing this farm will be here for my children and their children,” she said with a smile on her face. “I no longer worry for my children.”

Suresh said although Muniamah’s fight is over there are more farmers who are yet to know their fate on the ownership of their land.

He said often outsiders will think of Cameron Highlands as merely a holiday destination.

“But there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes and many issues that people aren’t aware of and which does not get much media coverage because we’re so deep inside here.”