Farmers and activists gathered at the Perak state secretariat building in Ipoh to seek the attention of the Mentri Besar in a bid to stop their crops from being further destroyed in Kanthan farms. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) chairman Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj alleged that the Perak Land and Mines Office enforcement officers would only halt the demolition if instructed to do so by the Mentri Besar. Dr Jeyakumar explained that they were present to meet with Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad in order for him to issue orders to stop the destruction and engage in further discussions.
Dr Jeyakumar highlighted that the farmers were given a week’s notice and that the enforcement officers forcefully destroyed the farms on the previous day. He stressed that these farmers have been cultivating vegetables and other crops for three generations and that the alternative land offered by the state government is unsuitable for agriculture. However, their concerns have not been heard. Dr Jeyakumar stated that they were unable to meet the Mentri Besar in person as he was in Kuala Lumpur and the officers in charge were also unavailable. They managed to obtain the contact number of the Mentri Besar’s personal assistant, and the message has been conveyed to him.
Highlighting the significance of the area falling under the Prime Minister’s constituency, Dr Jeyakumar lamented the destruction of the farms that were established over the years. Efforts have been made to obtain a statement from the Mentri Besar’s office. On a related note, Dr Jeyakumar and three others were arrested during the farm eviction process after a confrontation with the enforcement officers. PSM secretary-general A. Sivarajan alleged that an officer pushed activist Chong Yee Shan in the commotion, causing her to sustain injuries. Ipoh OCPD Asst Commissioner Yahaya Hassan clarified that the four individuals were detained for obstructing civil servants from performing their duties. However, they were released on police bail on the same night.
In a previous report by The Star on October 19, it was revealed that more than 130 farmers in Kanthan were concerned about their livelihoods following an eviction order. They had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at his Tambun parliamentary service centre in Meru.
