Court To Hear Raub Durian Farmers Legal Challenge On Eviction

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Some of the durian farmers outside the Kuantan High Court at an earlier appearance. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: The Kuantan High Court will proceed to hear a legal challenge filed by 204 Musang King durian farmers from Raub, Pahang, against the state government’s decision to evict them.
According to Raub MP Chow Yu Hui, Justice Zainal Azman Ab Aziz dismissed a bid by Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP Sdn Bhd to strike out the farmers’ judicial review application today.
The company was one of the respondents named in the farmers’ legal challenge.
Other respondents include the Raub district land administrator, Pahang forestry department director, state government and the Pahang State Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPP).
Chow said the court also awarded RM20,000 in costs to the farmers.
“This signifies that the legal battle initiated by the Raub Musang King farmers three years ago will continue as they seek justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, Siew Choon Jern, a lawyer representing the farmers, said the court would hear the farmers’ discovery application on Sept 12.
He said they had filed the bid to obtain certain documents from the respondents for the judicial review application. The farmers were also represented by Brendan Navin Siva.
The farmers filed the legal challenge against the Pahang government and other respondents in 2020.
An eviction notice was issued to the farmers on Dec 21, 2020 ordering them to vacate the land by Jan 4, 2021.
The farmers filed for a judicial review against the state government’s order for them to vacate their farms in various areas covering 2,167ha in Raub, including in Sungai Ruan, Sungai Chalit and Sungai Klau.
Apart from a decision on the order to vacate the land under the National Land Code 1965 and the National Forestry Act 1984, they also want a ruling on the state government’s alleged decision to lease the 2,167ha of farmland to Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP.
They also requested a review of the decision to sublease the land and the mandatory requirement to sell durians to a single entity nominated by Royal Pahang Durian Resources. - FMT

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