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High Court orders three Chemor farmers off land cultivated illegally

Lawyer K. Kunasekaran, who represented three farmers from Kuala Kuang, Chemor on the land eviction issue, speaks to reporters outside the High Court in Ipoh July 2, 2020. ― Picture by Farhan Najib
Lawyer K. Kunasekaran, who represented three farmers from Kuala Kuang, Chemor on the land eviction issue, speaks to reporters outside the High Court in Ipoh July 2, 2020. ― Picture by Farhan Najib

IPOH, July 2 ― The High Court here today ordered three farmers from Kuala Kuang, Chemor to vacate land they were cultivating after deciding it rightfully belonged to Syarikat Bukit Aneka Sdn Bhd.

Justice Datuk Hashim Hamzah granted the eviction order that the firm sought and gave the farmers 14 days to return possession to the company.

The three farmers were Wong Seng, Choo Boon Leong and Yap Yew Keen.

Lawyer Chong Kok Yew, who represented the company, said that the court also decided that the farmers were squatting on the land.

“Therefore, the court had ordered the three farmers to surrender the land to the owner within 14 days,” he said.

The proceeding lasted about 20 minutes and was held in chambers.

The farmers’ lawyers, K. Kunasekaran and Chiang Lek Choi, told reporters later that they would seek a stay of execution as there were still unresolved legal matters.

“At the moment, we are waiting for the grounds of judgment and meanwhile we will file a stay of application.

“We will also file an appeal notice at the Court of Appeal within the next 30 days. There are some issues to be discussed in this application.

“We have raised some points of law, but the decision today was not in favour of the defendant (farmers). So on that issue, we will appeal to the Court of Appeal,” he said.

Kunasekaran also said that the three farmers were ordered to pay RM3,000 in cost.

“The plaintiff asked for RM15,000 in total and we requested for RM2,000. However, the court ordered them to pay RM3,000,” he said.

Kunasekaran also hoped that the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu would intervene in this matter as the farmers had several times requested his help by sending memorandums to his Office before they defend the case at the court.

“We know the landowner has the right to evict them even though they have occupied the land for about 60 years.

“But the mentri besar should help them as the land cultivated by farmers were encouraged by the state government as they gave certificates and training on agriculture to the farmers. The farmers were only not provided grants.

“Therefore, we ask mentri besar to use the political will and settle this issue once for all,” he said.

One of the farmers, Wong, said that the state government should take care of the farmers and not chase them out.

“If all the farmers were chased out once there is development in their area, then what will the people eat,” he asked.

“Now we have to evacuate land within the next two weeks. I really did not know what to do,” he added.

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