The Kelantan PAS government today denied that it had resorted to grabbing the land belonging to the people for its Ladang Rakyat (People's Estates) project.

On the contrary, Deputy Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakub said some of the people who made the allegation had occupied the land, earmarked for the project, illegally.

He also said that the land, which would be developed for oil palm plantation under the programme, especially in Gua Musang, were state land.

"We have not grabbed any land belonging to the people in developing the project. What we do is to develop state land areas.

"Some of them, who might have occupied the land illegally and were forced to move out, are now accusing the government of grabbing their land," he told reporters after chairing a Kelantan PAS meeting in Kota Bharu today.

The claims that the state government had seized the people's land for the Ladang Rakyat project was therefore baseless, he said, adding that Ladang Rakyat settlers were paid a monthly dividend of RM200.

- Bernama