7 farms to resume work

KOTA BARU: The seven vegetable farms in the Lojing highlands, which were issued temporary stop-work orders over fears their activities may trigger a landslide, will be allowed to resume operations next month.

Lojing district and land officer Nik Razak Nik Hassan said the operators, who were found to have breached regulations over land clearing, would be allowed to resume work on March 1.

Nik Razak said although the stop-work order would be lifted, Lojing district and land office personnel would be monitoring the situation.

“Our officers will conduct regular checks on the seven companies from next month to ensure they adhere to the regulations.

“We do not want their activities to spark landslide fears among the people in the surrounding areas, especially the Orang Asli.”

He said similar checks would be carried out on other operators, although they had adhered to regulations.

Nik Razak thanked the New Straits Times for highlighting the issue in its exclusive report in December last year.

It is learnt that nearly 100 vegetable farm owners are operating in the highlands.

Last year, NST reported that the authorities had issued temporary stop-work orders to vegetable farms covering 100ha of land in the Lojing highlands over fears their activities may trigger a landslide that could endanger Orang Asli living downhill.