Raub council’s durian revenue plans bound to raise a stink – Terence Fernandez
Mandatory logo, cartons and RFID for Musang King part of local draft plan
Durian farmers in Raub are feeling more pressure as the state government and other players seek a piece of the lucrative Musang King pie Pahang generates. – Bernama pic, October 24, 2021
Terence Fernandez
AFTER muscling out durian farmers who have been cultivating the fruit for over 50 years, the Raub District Council is now planning a “rent-seeking” exercise that will rake in millions from these very farmers whom they had evicted and whose trees they had destroyed.
The council’s 2035 Local Draft Plan reveals proposals for a rent-seeking exercise built on the backs of durian farmers in the district.
The draft plan’s objection period, which ended on October 21, proposes the creation of an “agro-hub”, which will see the favourite and expensive Musang King variety being cultivated on a wider scale.
The Raub District Council’s 2035 Local Draft Plan reveals proposals for a rent-seeking exercise built on the backs of durian farmers in the district. – The Vibes pic, October 24, 2021
With the reasoning of “strengthening Raub’s financial standing”, the draft plan seeks to impose “commissions” on these farmers.
“The council will compel the usage of Raub Musang King logos and special cartons to promote the fruit overseas and locally,” read an excerpt from the draft plan.
With the reasoning of “strengthening Raub’s financial standing”, the draft plan seeks to impose “commissions” on these farmers.
“The council will compel the usage of Raub Musang King logos and special cartons to promote the fruit overseas and locally,” read an excerpt from the draft plan.
The Raub District Council's rent-seeking exercise will generate between RM4 million and RM6 million annually for the council. – Bernama pic, October 24, 2021
This exercise alone, said the district council, will generate between RM4 million and RM6 million annually for the council.
What would be regarded as another stinker of a deal to these farmers is that the district council plans to introduce the compulsory use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips for each individual fruit. Yes, each Musang King from Raub will come with an RFID chip to differentiate it from non-Raub durians.
“This exercise alone will generate about RM2 million a year in revenue for the council,” the draft plan stated.
The Raub District Council defends this proposal by explaining that it is not earning any revenue from the durian industry due to illegal farming.
Logic would dictate that if these farmers were properly regulated by giving them temporary operating licences, the council and the state would have more streamlined revenue coming from these industries.
However, instead of going through this tried-and-tested route, the powers that be decided to give an exclusive deal to a private company with royal ties.
This exercise alone, said the district council, will generate between RM4 million and RM6 million annually for the council.
What would be regarded as another stinker of a deal to these farmers is that the district council plans to introduce the compulsory use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips for each individual fruit. Yes, each Musang King from Raub will come with an RFID chip to differentiate it from non-Raub durians.
“This exercise alone will generate about RM2 million a year in revenue for the council,” the draft plan stated.
The Raub District Council defends this proposal by explaining that it is not earning any revenue from the durian industry due to illegal farming.
Logic would dictate that if these farmers were properly regulated by giving them temporary operating licences, the council and the state would have more streamlined revenue coming from these industries.
However, instead of going through this tried-and-tested route, the powers that be decided to give an exclusive deal to a private company with royal ties.
If durian farmers were given temporary operating licences, Pahang would have a more streamlined revenue from the industry, but the district council instead awarded an exclusive deal to a private company with royal ties. – Bernama pic, October 24, 2021
Last year, amid the controversy of durian farmers being ousted from farms in forest reserves, the Raub District Council, with the backing of the state government, decreed that all Musang King durian cultivation will be streamlined under a consortium made up of a joint venture between the Pahang Agriculture Development Corporation (PKPP) and Royal Pahang Durian Resources Sdn Bhd.
The latter is chaired by Pahang’s Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah.
Raub is regarded as the Musang King capital of Malaysia, and 79% of durians in Pahang are grown here.
A total of 70,650 tonnes valued at RM1.7 billion was cultivated in 2018 alone.
This is expected to increase to an estimated RM4.95 billion in value in 2035 – where of this figure, RM3.6 billion in revenue is expected to be generated by Musang King sales and exports.
Durian farmers in Pahang, notably Raub, have been cultivating durian from as far back as 1961.
This was part of the assimilation of communist sympathisers as well as the effort to convert Pahang’s vast jungles into agricultural land.
Last year, amid the controversy of durian farmers being ousted from farms in forest reserves, the Raub District Council, with the backing of the state government, decreed that all Musang King durian cultivation will be streamlined under a consortium made up of a joint venture between the Pahang Agriculture Development Corporation (PKPP) and Royal Pahang Durian Resources Sdn Bhd.
The latter is chaired by Pahang’s Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah.
Raub is regarded as the Musang King capital of Malaysia, and 79% of durians in Pahang are grown here.
A total of 70,650 tonnes valued at RM1.7 billion was cultivated in 2018 alone.
This is expected to increase to an estimated RM4.95 billion in value in 2035 – where of this figure, RM3.6 billion in revenue is expected to be generated by Musang King sales and exports.
Durian farmers in Pahang, notably Raub, have been cultivating durian from as far back as 1961.
This was part of the assimilation of communist sympathisers as well as the effort to convert Pahang’s vast jungles into agricultural land.
Current durian farmers say they and their forefathers have been applying for operating licences from the state to no avail for nearly 50 years. – Bernama pic, October 24, 2021
However, present farmers say they and their fathers and grandfathers before them had been applying for operating licences from the state but to no avail for almost 50 years.
Last year saw over 200 of these farmers being evicted from their orchards in forest reserves – many of which had been in the family for half a century.
They were even stopped from harvesting their durians and, in what can be described as an act of pure spite in July this year, the state Forestry Department cut down some 15,000 Musang King trees in an area measuring 101ha in a forest reserve.
An injunction was later sought along with a judicial review when 94 of the durian farmers affected by evictions and destruction of their orchards had named the Pahang Agriculture Development Corp, the director of the Forestry Department, the Raub Land District office, Royal Pahang Durian Resources Sdn Bhd, PKPP and the Pahang government as respondents.
Turned down at the high court, their appeal was granted by the Court of Appeal on September 8, when these farmers won a reprieve.
How long this will last remains to be seen. But the new proposals under the draft plan go to show that imaginative ways are being conjured up by various parties to get a piece of the action from the blood, sweat and tears of these farmers. – The Vibes, October 24, 2021
Terence Fernandez is editor-in-chief of PETRA News and managing editor at The Vibes
However, present farmers say they and their fathers and grandfathers before them had been applying for operating licences from the state but to no avail for almost 50 years.
Last year saw over 200 of these farmers being evicted from their orchards in forest reserves – many of which had been in the family for half a century.
They were even stopped from harvesting their durians and, in what can be described as an act of pure spite in July this year, the state Forestry Department cut down some 15,000 Musang King trees in an area measuring 101ha in a forest reserve.
An injunction was later sought along with a judicial review when 94 of the durian farmers affected by evictions and destruction of their orchards had named the Pahang Agriculture Development Corp, the director of the Forestry Department, the Raub Land District office, Royal Pahang Durian Resources Sdn Bhd, PKPP and the Pahang government as respondents.
Turned down at the high court, their appeal was granted by the Court of Appeal on September 8, when these farmers won a reprieve.
How long this will last remains to be seen. But the new proposals under the draft plan go to show that imaginative ways are being conjured up by various parties to get a piece of the action from the blood, sweat and tears of these farmers. – The Vibes, October 24, 2021
Terence Fernandez is editor-in-chief of PETRA News and managing editor at The Vibes
Penang Lang Blood Sweat Tears pay so much tax to Putrajaya but Wee KHAT Siong approved Pahang gomen's new 10 billion airport. Even Kedah got new KXP Kulim airport. But for Bayan Lepas expansion yilek.....must wait for some national masterplan...?
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‘Green light’ for Pahang’s new airport project, says MB
FMT Reporters -October 24, 2021
PETALING JAYA: The federal government has no objection to plans for a proposed new international airport in Gebeng, near Kuantan, according to Pahang menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
He said the federal government and related agencies had agreed in principle to approve the project, which will be part of a proposed RM10 billion Pahang aerospace city project.
The National Physical Planning Council had agreed that the project be studied further, he said, Sinar Harian reported.
FMT is seeking confirmation from Wan Rosdy.
According to the report, the current Kuantan airport, known as Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport, would be transferred to the Royal Malaysian Air Force which has a major base there.
“Apart from the construction of an international standard airport, the project also involves the construction of shopping malls, hotels, among others,” Wan Rosdy was quoted as saying. “This project is a long-term plan that will be developed in phases until 2050.”
He added that the proposed project took into account the need for an international airport in the state and the east coast in particular.
The Pahang aerospace city project, on an area measuring 5,042 hectares, is led by Pahang Corporation Sdn Bhd and is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
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What can one expect from a race which is typically lazy and always finding easy solutions ala Robert Kuok saga?
ReplyDeleteThe Pahang royalty is not a paragpn of virtue and fairness too.
As I keep saying, the majority race will be happy to see all nons emigrate from Malaysia so that the "pie" will be left only to the malays.
But, this idiotic idea will boomerang because there will come a time they (malays) will realise they have nobody to do the hard thinking and hard work. And they will realise there will be nobody they can steal from!
They will have to get off their bumps and fight among themselves for what little they can produce (I am not referring only to the durians)