Employers and “owners” of illegally cleared land are also targets of the Camerons crackdown, says Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

With soldiers pouring into Cameron Highlands on the authority of Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussien, illegal immigrants and their employers/‘owners’ are being slowly flushed out.

“Yes, the workers may be the ones who did the clearing, but who hired them? What about the agents who brought them here?”

“We are working with the relevant authorities to investigate and act against all law breakers of the law in Cameron Highlands,” Zahid said after officially opening the 60th anniversary celebration of the Malaysian Film Censorship Board, according to a report in The Star.

Zahid warned that these people will not be spared.

However, complaining of the aggression, Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong said that the army is treating the farmers like the country’s worst enemy.

“We just want to die. The police and military have come; what can we do?

“They are treating the farmers here as the country’s enemy, worse even than the communists. For those foreigners not running businesses or illegal land clearing, please give them a chance to remain here,” said Chay.

He added that without workers to help, there will not be any harvest, which in turn will cause the farmers to lose their jobs.

According to Hishammuddin, the army “will be fair and will not victimise the innocent”.

“The army’s assistance was sought because the search involves forested areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, Immigration Department director-general Mustafa Ibrahim said that until all illegal immigrants were removed from the highlands, the crackdown will not stop.

He added that the 3+1 programme is intended to help the undocumented workers to be deported to their countries without being charged or detained.

On Nov 5, a mudflood hit Bertam Valley and Ringlet after a heavy downpour in the district, which claimed the lives of five people.

Both Cameron Highlands MP G Palanivel and Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob were blamed for being reckless and unable to carry our the necessary enforcement to curb the illegal activities.

In a report by the New Straits Times on Nov 14,  the Pahang royalty was said to have interfered in the work of local Cameron officers, and had forced them to approve land clearing on areas that were meant to be preserved.

The report showed a ‘yellow letter’ document purportedly issued by a member of the Pahang royal family asking local authorities to give them ‘special consideration’ and to ‘duly approve’ of a 0.277 hectare land area for development in Kampung Raja.

Related stories

'I wouldn't go to eastern Sabah without guards'

Son dies in custody, dad 'threatened with gun'

Zahid: Hate-spewing Net users threaten nation

Palanivel knows mastermind behind illegal land clearing

CM: Illegal logging fuelled by rogue enforcement officers

Decapitated head found in plastic bag

Burglar dies after struggle with house owner