VEGETABLE farmers are seeing red over a proposal by the Pahang Public Works Department (PWD) to ban heavy vehicles transporting the produce on narrow and congested Cameron Highlands roads on weekends.

Fearing the proposal would be pushed through soon, farmers have stepped up their opposition by seeking help from Tanah Rata assemblyman Ho Chi Yang to make a representation on their behalf to Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi to trash the whole idea.

Ho told The Malaysian Insight he had met Nanta over the issue recently, and said he had passed 40 letters from the farmers and other stakeholders in Cameron Highlands opposing the proposal.

“Those letters contain the reasons why they do not agree with the ban.

“The farmers are trying to get the minister to understand that vegetables are perishable goods. Once harvested, the vegetables must be transported to the wholesale market as quickly as possible. Speed is of the essence to guarantee the freshness of the vegetables,” Ho said.

The PWD earlier proposed that trucks and other vehicles transporting vegetables be kept off the FT59 Federal Highway between 10am and 3pm from Friday to Sunday and on public and school holidays, to ease traffic congestion in one of the country’s most popular tourist spots. 

Ho said Nanta did not give him a response to the farmers’ pleas when they met, but the latter said he will continue to discuss the issue with other relevant departments. 

There are about 3,000 vegetable farms in Cameron Highlands. 

Ho said the vegetables transport process is already complicated and if the decision to enforce the ban is implemented, it would impact the price of the produce.

“There would be no fresh vegetables on weekends and on the first day of the week as there will be no deliveries. 

“In the long run, the scarcity of vegetables on these days could cause vegetable prices from the highlands to increase.”

Ho said he cannot understand why the PWD is putting the cart before the horse with such a proposal.

He said there must be “long-term and strategic planning” on the road network in the highlands that would adequately meet the needs of the vegetable farmers and those in the tourism industry.

“Good traffic planning is the best policy.”

Cameron Highlands attracts thousands of tourists – domestic and foreign – every year.

The rising numbers mean the roads, which have seen little improvement over the years, are constantly choked with vehicles. – February 28, 2023.