Tambun, Kanthan farmers bank on Anwar to turn 'nightmare' into hope

Tambun, Kanthan farmers bank on Anwar to turn 'nightmare' into hope


While some farmers spend sleepless nights guarding their crops against wild animals or worrying about the change in weather and pest infestations, not the same can be said for Tan Tean Chee.

“The past 18 years have been a nightmare,” Tan said, as he fought to hold back his tears.

“There was one morning when I sat in a daze, with my phone in my hand. Once it rang, I knew something was wrong.

“The menacing sound of the bulldozer still haunts my dreams,” he told Malaysiakini.

Tan, 60, is one of the many hundreds of small farmers in Kanthan, Perak, who have been ploughed into an eviction battle following the longstanding land issue in the silver state.

Kanthan, situated in the Tambun parliamentary seat and Hulu Kinta state constituency, is deemed to be the single largest vegetable-producing region in the state.

On April 8, Tan was arrested from his home for allegedly obstructing a public officer from carrying out his duties. He was later released.

Tan said his arrest was linked to the attempts of the Perak Development Corporation (PDC) – a state government subsidiary - to enter a disputed farm area to conduct a soil test, despite an order from the High Court in Ipoh that no work can be carried out on-site pending the conclusion of the case.

In June, the group of farmers obtained a temporary injunction against PDC from trespassing on the land they are farming on, pending the disposal of their civil action against the state authorities.

‘Illegal farmers’ with no land grants

Although many are third-generation farmers and have toiled the land for more than six decades, Tan, more popularly known as Chee by the locals, said they were unable to obtain land grants.

Tan Tean Chee

Instead of attending to their woes, the Chemor Modern Farmers Association chief said the state government labelled them as “illegal farmers” who are obstructing development in the area.

“We don’t want grants and we don’t have plans to object to the government’s plans.

“We only want to continue farming here so that our efforts don’t go to waste. We are willing to pay rent.

“The farmers here already acquired all the experience needed and the government need not spend a single cent to educate us on farming techniques.”

‘Anwar, our only hope’

Having spent almost one-third of his life under immense stress being at the forefront trying to defend the farmers’ lands from being occupied by developers, Tan said they are at their wits’ end.

“We wrote to (former menteri besar) Ahmad Faizal Azumu, (Hulu Kinta incumbent) Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad and (Manjoi incumbent) Asmuni Awi in 2020 but none of them helped us.

“We are now banking on Anwar (Ibrahim) to win the Tambun race.

“We put all hopes on Anwar and we only trust him now,” Tan added.

The Tambun parliamentary seat will see Anwar of Pakatan Harapan take on incumbent Faizal of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and two others in a four-way fight.

Responses gathered from farmers in Kanthan by Malaysiakini showed that they all echoed Tan’s sentiments - Anwar must emerge victorious in Tambun.

Corn grower Chew Kam Seng, 57, told Malaysiakini that his vote is for the Harapan chairperson this election.

Chew, who has over 20 years of farming experience, was confident to say that 90 percent of the farmers in Kanthan would vote for Anwar.

“It’s a risk we are willing to take. We will give Anwar a chance.

“Before we voted for Peja (Faizal’s nickname), he said “apa pun boleh” (everything can be sorted out)

“Since he was elected, Faizal has not come here to see us even once,” Chew said in expressing his disappointment.

Chew Kam Seng

Chen Yook San, 50, has also made up his mind on casting his vote for the PKR president, saying a prominent figure has stepped in to put a stop to the whole eviction ordeal.

“I feel scared all the time. There are people who come over once in a while and bother us, saying they want to take the land back.

“What can we do? We can’t fight them,” he said.

Chen Yook San (left) with his son Chen Kong


Liew Poh Sing, who has been growing peanut trees for over 30 years, said he recalled Anwar pledging that he would help the farmers once he is elected.

Therefore, the third-generation farmer said he will be holding the prime minister hopeful to his words.

Liew Poh Sing

“Anwar said he will look into the matter if we give him a chance and for him to be elected. We hope he can really do it,” Liew stated.

As for the couple Tan Chiew Keong and Yap Chew Ping, who are parents to four children, their only hope to earn an honest living is by farming – the only job they know.

“Whoever says they will help us with our plight, we will vote for that person.

Tan Chiew Keong (left) and Yap Chew Ping


“We are not greedy and we don’t want any allowances or assistance. All we want is to work on our lands in peace.

“Please give us a land grant. It’s that simple,” Yap said.

Another pomelo grower in Tambun, Chin Kok Meng, said it was heartbreaking to hear news of his peers who were forced to vacate their orchards last December.

Growers were told to vacate their orchards when they received a notice from the land owner, Maju Institute of Educational Development (Mied), MIC’s education arm.

Chin Kok Meng

“I heard that affected growers would be compensated with lands elsewhere but not all lands can be used to plant pomelos.

“Only Tambun has suitable land to grow the fruit,” Chin said.

Arafat’s promise a non-starter

Go Chin Tambun Pomelo Agro Farm owner Tan Swee Kong was among the group of 13 pomelo growers chased out of his orchard.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Swee Kong, whose 0.2 hectares of land would be flattened, said the state government should be fighting for the growers.

“Tambun pomelos are a signature product and pride of Perak.

“We have tourists from more than 80 countries visiting the pomelo farms here as part of the eco-tourism attraction.

“It’s a shame that we have lesser lands now to grow the Tambun pomelo.”

Swee Kong disclosed that the incumbent Hulu Kinta assemblyperson Arafat had not kept his promise to help the growers since being elected in the 14th general election.

Tan Swee Kong

“Sometimes, he doesn’t come after saying that he would meet us or he would turn up three hours late.

“At times, he would only send a representative over,” he said.

Meanwhile, another elderly farmer, who asked that he not be named, claimed that Arafat refused to assist the farmers in Changkat Kinding when they were slapped with an eviction notice by a developer.

Instead, the vegetable farmer said, the PKR man “colluded” with the developer in an attempt to persuade farmers to accept compensation of RM9,000 per 0.4 hectares.

“He went to meet the affected farmers, along with the Changkat Kinding village head.

“Arafat told the farmers that if they don’t accept the compensation, they won’t receive anything if they lose the court case.

“This is not right. Arafat is our representative and he is supposed to be on our side,” he lamented.

Hulu Kinta incumbent assemblyperson Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad


Despite Arafat’s poor performance, he said he was left with no choice but to vote for the latter.

“We’d pick him, even if it would leave us in tears. I believe it could help us with the land issues if both the federal and state seats go to Harapan.”

The Hulu Kinta seat will see a battle between Arafat, BN's Mazlan Abd Rahman and PN's Puteri Holijah Muhamad Rali.

Malaysiakini is attempting to get comments from Arafat’s office on this matter.