Pahang ruler Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, has reaffirmed his commitment to continue voicing concerns over land encroachment in the state until the illegal activity is completely eradicated.
However, he said, addressing the issue requires the cooperation of all parties, including information sharing by the public and firm enforcement by the district and land offices, as well as the forestry department.
“I will speak out when there is encroachment, not only in Raub and Cameron Highlands but also in all districts in Pahang. But I cannot do it alone.
“I hope the people will provide information to my office and the (state) government. If they do not provide information, it may be difficult to monitor,” he said.
The Pahang sultan shared his views in a special interview with Bernama at Istana Abdulaziz recently, in conjunction with his 66th birthday celebration.
He acknowledged that the widespread attention the issue received had served as a wake-up call to both stakeholders and residents of the state.
“When this issue emerged, I observed greater awareness from all parties, including the public and district-level administrators.
“Many reports have reached my office and were forwarded to the state government for further action,” he said.
Prior to this, Al-Sultan Abdullah had expressed deep sadness upon learning that about 10,521 hectares of land in Raub had been encroached upon over an extended period.
When opening the state legislative assembly on April 18 this year, he said a total of 14,495 hectares of state-owned land had been cleared and cultivated illegally with oil palm, rubber, durian, and various crops.
He added that 5,997 hectares of permanent forest reserve land had also been encroached, supposedly in the name of agriculture.
