By Sylvia Looi and Ivan Loh
Wednesday June 30, 2010
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: About 400 farmers in Bertam Valley here blocked the main road for three hours to stop enforcement officers from tearing down their farms to make way for a road project.
The farmers used their vehicles to block the road, causing a 2km traffic jam. The standoff lasted from 8.30am until about 11.30am.
Several enforcement officers managed to enter the farms and remove flower pots and destroy vegetables by the side of the road.
Bertam Valley Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman Tung Cheok Nam said: "Fortunately, no fights broke out."
He said Health Minister and MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai who is also the Pahang MCA chief and Pahang state executive council member Datuk Hoh Khai Mun arrived at the scene and asked the enforcement officers to stop their operations.
Good news: Liow informing the farmers in Bertam Valley, Cameron Highlands, that the operation by the enforcement officers to demolish their farms had been stopped yesterday.
"Liow said he will meet Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to discuss the matter," he said.
Tanah Rata state assemblyman Ho Yip Kap said about 110 farms were located on a piece of land in Bertam Valley which has been earmarked for the construction of a 79km federal road from Bertam Valley to Kuala Lipis.
District officer Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdul Rani could not be reached for comments.
At another function yesterday, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the problem faced by the Bertam Valley farmers would be discussed in today’s presidential council meeting.
"To solve the problem of illegal farming, both the farmers and the authorities should cooperate," he told reporters after opening the Cameron Highlands MCA division service centre in Tanah Rata.
He said the party would prepare a paper on the matter and give it to representatives in Pahang to be brought up at the state exco meeting.
Liow, who was also present at the opening, said the farmers have encroached into the road reserves, meant for the road project.
He said that Adnan had agreed to stop all enforcement pending discussions with the farmers.
Speaking on the Tanah Rata state seat, Dr Chua later said it should be returned to the party as it was held by MCA prior to the 2008 general election.
In the last election, independent candidate Ho Yip Kap won the seat. Ho had since joined Gerakan.
"Some may say that in the spirit of Barisan Nasional, the seat should be given to the component party."
"But of the over 7,800 Chinese electorate in the constituency, half of them are MCA members," Dr Chua said here yesterday. -- The Star
Chua: Don’t use force to destroy farms
By Ng Si Hooi
Thursday July 1, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government should not use strong arm tactics in its enforcement to destroy the farms in Bertam Valley, Cameron Highlands, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
This, he said, would not send a good message to the grassroots.
On Tuesday, about 400 farmers in Bertam Valley blocked the main road for three hours to stop enforcement officers from tearing down their farms to make way for a road project.
MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Pahang state executive council member Datuk Hoh Khai Mun later arrived at the scene and asked the enforcement officers to stop their operations.
Tanah Rata state assemblyman Ho Yip Kap had said that about 110 farms were located on a piece of land in Bertam Valley earmarked for the construction of a 79km federal road from Bertam Valley to Kuala Lipis.
Dr Chua said the MCA had set up a committee, headed by Liow, to study the report submitted by the Cameron Highlands Farmers Association.
The committee will study how the measures suggested in the report can be implemented – so that there will be a more holistic approach to increasing vegetable cultivation and to resolving land problems in Cameron Highlands.
Dr Chua said the party had also appointed a consultant to assist the committee. The committee was expected to submit its findings in a month’s time.
"We will then present it to the state government and the Federal Government," he told reporters after chairing the party presidential council meeting at a hotel here yesterday.
On another issue, Dr Chua said the Government should seriously look into the wishes of the people of Johor on the construction of a bridge to replace the Johor Causeway.
"A new bridge will definitely expedite communication between the people of the two nations as well as promote trade, investment and tourism," he said.
On the proposed abolition of UPSR and PMR examinations, he said the MCA education bureau under Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong would conduct town-hall meetings in major towns and seek the opinion of professional bodies.
The feedback would be submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education Minister.
On party matters, Dr Chua said MCA would organise an economic congress on Aug 14 themed "Chinese Community in Realising the New Economic Model and to Achieve the 10th Malaysia Plan."
"We feel that Chinese businessmen have a big role to play, especially in attracting investment and to ensure our economy remains competitive," he said. -- The Star
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