The Malaysian Humanitarian Organization (MHO) on Monday accompanied Sri Iskandar Sungai Tumboh Smallholder Cooperative to the Perak state branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to file a report regarding alleged corruption and abuse of power in a land issue, urging the MACC to investigate.
MHO Secretary-General Datuk Hishamuddin pointed out that they have received complaints from approximately 508 victims who claim that since 2006, their oil palm plantations have been invaded, damaged, and destroyed, leading to losses in their crops, which are their main source of income.
He said the oil palm plantations involved cover a total area of about 2600 acres, where the smallholders began planting oil palms in the forest area 12 years ago and established a cooperative to sell the harvested palm oil.
“The cooperative has also been licensed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and therefore applied for a land title twice. However, the first application was rejected, and the conclusion of the second application is unknown as it involved the former cooperative board.”
He stated this at a press conference before lodging the report with the MACC office in Perak on Monday, attended by about a hundred affected oil palm growers.
He stated this at a press conference before lodging the report with the MACC office in Perak on Monday, attended by about a hundred affected oil palm growers.
He said that in September 2024, without the smallholders' knowledge, the land was cleared by a private company. It is understood that the land currently belongs to the Perak Development Agency, and discussions have been held with the Perak state government and the agency to resolve the land issue. Subsequently, it was also understood that one of the plots would be gazetted as a Malay reserve.
He noted that the smallholders came to the MACC in Perak today because they suspect elements of corruption and abuse of power in the land issue, leading to the illegal occupation of the land by a third-party private company. Hence, the smallholders have gathered relevant evidence of corruption to request an investigation by the MACC.
He also mentioned that the third-party private company had offered a plot in Bagan Datuk as a replacement; however, the offered land is swampy and completely unsuitable for planting oil palms.
“Meanwhile, the private company has transferred 4 million ringgit into the cooperative's bank account, but accepting this amount was done without the approval of the cooperative’s general meeting, and the officials and members were unaware and did not agree to this transaction.”
He stated that all relevant information and a complaint letter signed by 508 people would be submitted to the MACC for investigation.