VEGETABLE farmers in Cameron Highlands have threatened to move their packing plant elsewhere after the state decided to keep trucks and other heavy vehicles off the FT59 federal highway on Fridays, the weekends and public holidays when the road is teeming with tourist vehicles.

Farmers felt the state was favouring tourism over their businesses as the ban meant transporting greens could not be done between 10am and 3pm on the designated days.

Cameron Highlands Chinese Farmers Association deputy president Cheng Nan Hong said moving the plant from Kampung Raja, Tanah Rata, would be “the last step” in this row.

Cheng admitted the decision would be difficult to make and it could be an expensive exercise but the ban is making farmers in the highlands suffer huge losses as they could not move their vegetables to the market.

The farmers reportedly could still take their vegetables to the markets in the lowlands but they have to take roads that are less travelled by tourists – a detour that would add two hours or more to their normal travelling time.

The farmers and six major agricultural organisations in the highlands were furious after protracted talks over the ban came to nothing.

The Cameron Highlands Public Works Department (PWD) on June 16 announced the state exco’s decision to put the ban into effect via its Facebook page.

The state executive council last year passed the ban to solve the problem of traffic congestion in the highlands popular with tourists.

The six organisations, including the Cameron Vegetable Farmers Association, Cameron Highlands Flower Growers Association, Cameron Highlands Chinese Farmers Association, Persatuan Pekebun Kecil India Cameron Highlands, Persatuan Pekebun Melayu Cameron Highlands and the Cameron Vegetable Truck Owners’ Association, last week signed a joint memorandum to appeal to the Pahang government in a last ditch effort to get the state government to review and lift the ban.

The state government instead chose to side with the tourism industry.

Cheng said the farmers’ anger had reached “boiling point” as the ban is keeping them from the one road they need to use.

“Everyone is angry. Weekends are always a very busy time for us as we are inundated with orders for the weekend markets.

“Now this ban is making it difficult for us to make deliveries.”

Cheng accused the state government of failing to “actively address the traffic jam black zones”.

He said the traffic congestion is not caused by vegetable trucks on the road.

“Banning us from the road is therefore not a solution to the congestion.”

He said the state government should instead take a good look at its road development plans.

Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association general secretary Chay Ee Mong also accused the Pahang government of implementing the ban in haste.

Chay, the spokesman of the six major agricultural organisations, said the state government decided on the ban without consulting them as stakeholders.

“They never called for a public hearing and didn’t consult us,” Chay added.

“We were totally unaware of the decision to impose the ban this month. Despite our strong opposition, it seems the state government is hell-bent on implementing it.

“Now that the ban is in place, we see that it has not solved the congestion problem.”

He said reopening the road after 3pm does not make sense.

He said if the trucks started down the hill after 3pm, by the time they reached their designated markets, they would all be closed.

“There would be no one to receive the vegetables. They would all be off work by then.”

Chay said there is also the question of overtime.

“Who is going to pay the truck drivers for overtime work?

“It’s not only us, the farmers and those involved in the industry on the mountain, are inconvenienced by the ban. Those below the mountain are similarly affected.”

Chay warned if the state government refused to budge, the six organisations may resort to holding a “peaceful protest” to express their displeasure.

He said the state government had failed to also consider the consequences of public discontent.

When the idea to impose the ban was floated, it immediately set off a wave of opposition.

The Cameron Highlands PWD had promised that the ban would not be implemented after a dialogue with stakeholders in February.

The PWD said the department would continue to collect more feedback and public opinion for its top brass.

When the ban was put into force, it took many by surprise.

Tanah Rata assemblyman Ho Chi Yang promised the organisations he would submit their memorandum to the state exco responsible.

Ho said he will try to make the state government understand the impact of the ban on farmers and transport operators.

He said the ban does not seem to have the desired effect of relieving the traffic congestion.

He said from observations made a week after the implementation of the ban, the FT59 highway was still very congested.

“A short 4.5km stretch took nearly an hour or more to cover. Therefore, the ban has not solved the problem.

“It has instead brought a negative impact on the vegetable transport and supply chain.”

Ho also confirmed the six organisations’ threat to stage “peaceful actions” if the state government would not talk to them on the ban. –  June 29, 2023.