The Pahang government has admitted that it did not do enough to catch the culprits responsible for illegal land clearing in Cameron Highlands.

The stubbornness of the culprits who continued to illegally clear land along river reserves for farming resulted in the natural disasters, Pahang State Secretary Muhammad Safian Ismail said.

“When the state government failed to take action against those involved in the illegal activities, aggressive illegal land clearing continued unabated by irresponsible parties who want to make big profits,” Safian is quoted as saying in the New Straits Times today.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced on Sunday that the federal government would wage an all-out war to end corrupt practices, the influx of illegal immigrants and illegal land clearing by farmers on more than 6,000 hectares of land in Cameron Highlands.

Last Wednesday, a downpour caused mud floods and landslides in Kampung Raja, Pekan Ringlet and the Bertam Valley in Cameron Highlands, claiming five lives and forcing more than 90 people from 28 families to be evacuated to relief centres in Ringlet.

As for claims of corrupt practices by civil servants in the highlands, Safian said he was aware of this and that the state government has been working with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the matter.

“We are tracking down and identifying the individuals. If there is evidence, MACC will arrest them.”

Safian said there were cases where enforcement teams were sent to investigate or inspect certain areas, but there would be no one operating there.

'Corrupt practices rampant'

“When we went back several days later, the areas were cleared. Those behind illegal land clearings planned their escape routes well, especially in the rural areas,” he said.

The New Straits Times also reported that sources confirmed that rampant corrupt practices by government agencies, from top down, were to be blamed for the mud floods.

And political interference aggravated the situation, the English daily reported the sources as saying.  

The sources said there were instances where enforcement officers, on their way to raid illegal farms, had to abandon their plans after receiving calls from “people in power”.

The sources said illegal immigrants were released hours after their arrests and returned to the farms to work.