PAHANG Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan, should consider reviewing the land lease policy of the durian farm legalisation scheme proposal in Raub before asking farmers to reconsider the judicial review, Raub MP Chow Yu Hui said. 

Chow, who is also the Save Musang King Alliance (Samka) advisor, said the state unity government needs to be considerate of Musang King farmers who have been working on durian farms for several decades. 

“The Musang King farmers of Raub are always open and ready to hold discussions with the state government for a win-win solution,” Chow, who has championed the issue since his time as Tras assemblyman in 2020, said in a statement today. 

Chow commented on the issue after Wan Rosdy advised farmers to reconsider their application to file for a judicial review against an eviction notice at the Kuantan High Court three years ago. 

In 2020, the state government’s development arm known as Pahang State Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPP) signed two agreements with a conglomerate called the Royal Pahang Durian Resources (RPDR) for its entry into large-scale durian production that also empowered it to engage legally with the farmers in Raub.

RPDR is a group of companies said to be linked with Pahang royalty.

Chow said the farmers have been working on abandoned land since the 1960s and claimed they had been applying for permits since.  

He alleged that the state government also knew about the farmers’ existence and never took action.  

Chow said their objection is only towards the unfair terms of the RPDR-PKPP scheme. 

“It should be noted that the farmers have never objected to paying land taxes to the state government or cooperating with the state government. 

“Their objection is regarding the terms of the RPDR-PKPP scheme which does not appreciate the hard work of durian farmers.

“The Musang King farmers in Raub, who had been working without permit, contributed greatly to the Malaysian durian industry, making Raub the world-famous Musang King town,” he added. 

The DAP lawmaker said among the unreasonable conditions of the RPDR-PKPP scheme is the determination of a fixed price for durian that is much lower than the market price. 

He said the growers are also required to sell most of their durian produce to the private corporation on a mandatory basis, which he claimed is likely to lead to a monopoly of the durian market by the corporation and affect the entire durian industry including existing durian factories in the Raub and Pahang areas.  

“A native of Pahang and not a private corporation, needs to be prioritised and made a strategic partner in making the Musang King industry a success in the state,” he added. 

Chow said farmers carrying out the judicial review want justice and to defend their rights in terms of the law.

He, however, welcomed a public dialogue or a town hall program organised by the state government, in order to possibly come to a win-win cooperation over the crisis. 

In August 2020, some 200 durian planters in Raub filed to obtain permission for a judicial review at the Kuantan High Court against a Pahang government order and decision for them to vacate their farms.

They filed the application by naming six respondents, the Raub District Land Administrator, Pahang Forestry director, state authorities, PKPP and RPDR. 

In December 2020, the Kuantan High Court dismissed the farmers leave applications, ruling that they had no locus standi to file the legal action.  

On September 9, 2021, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal by the group of farmers against the Kuantan High Court’s dismissal of their leave applications for a judicial review. –  January 28, 2023.