COMMENT | Many Malaysians may not have heard about the vegetable farmers of Kanthan, but they may possibly take notice when the price of locally grown vegetables rises further, or when greens are in short supply.

The MP for the place, an area beyond the town of Chemor, Perak, is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. It lies within his parliamentary seat of Tambun and the Hulu Kinta state constituency is said to be the single largest vegetable-producing region in Perak.

These farmers have been cultivating vegetables and fruits and rearing fish in the Kanthan area for over six decades, but the authorities seem oblivious to this and are locked in a running battle with them.

In the past few days, Anwar’s parliamentary constituents would have observed his highly publicised and emotive performance on their television screens, defending the Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied territories.

Many will also wonder if the prime minister is aware of their plight. His absence has been noticed and in contrast...