About 100 small-time farmers from Cameron Highlands will hold a sit-in protest at Wisma Sri Pahang, Kuantan on May 23, demanding permanent land titles from the Pahang state government. 

"We are not interested in empty promises or having any more discussions, it's been ten years of negotiations. 

"The government knows what is up. We want a solution and we want permanent land titles (for the farmers)," said B Suresh Kumar of the land, housing and shops committee (JTRG) at the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) head office in Brickfields today. 

In 2012, Pahang Chief Minister Adnan Yaakob had promised land title issues would be resolved within six months, after 31 farmers were arrested by police for protesting outside his office in Kuantan, Suresh said.

The JTRG, which is part of Cameron Highlands PSM, is representing more than 20 of the 500-plus farmers believed to be affected, he said.  

Many of these smallholders farm on less than five acres of land and claim to be the pioneer farmers in Cameron Highlands. 

"My family has been farming in Blue Valley since the 1970s, when I was 14 years old. 

"We have been applying for a farming license since 1976 but we have yet to receive anything," said R Velusamy, who is now 62. 

K Nehru, whose father started their 2-acre farm in Kuala Terla in 1990, has also struggled in his application for a permanent land title.

Farmers treated like beggars

“These farmers are living under the mercy of the Pahang state government, they are treated akin to beggars when what they do is provide food for the nation,” said Suresh Kumar.

Because they do not have permanent land titles, smallholders like Velusamy and Nehru have to renew their Temporary Occupancy Licenses (TOLs) every year.

TOL renewals, however, have been frozen since 2015 to control development in Cameron Highlands, claimed Suresh Kumar.

“We think these farmers should be given permanent licenses...they should own their own land,” he said.

Affected farmers from other districts in Cameron Highlands have also expressed interest in joining the May 23 protest, where a memorandum will be handed over to Adnan, he said.