NOV 22 — The Cameron Highlands issue is more thorny than what ordinary people can imagine.

It involves irresponsible developers, corrupt officers, a sleeping member of parliament, gangsters who hold a candle to the devil, as well as the Surat Kuning (Yellow Letters).

Wait, please allow a correction here, the Pahang Sultan has clarified that he has nothing to do with the Surat Kuning, and he knows nothing about them.

At least it is good news.

I have never seen a Surat Kuning before and thus, I can’t tell whether it is really yellow in colour. It was said that some people have used it as a royal consent to farm illegally in Cameron Highlands.

It was said that with a Surat Kuning, officers had no choice but just allowed the letter holders to open up specific tracts of land in Cameron Highlands for development. A large number of Surat Kuning has resulted in over-exploitation, causing soil erosion and floods. Just like a shabby building, Cameron Highlands might collapse at any time.

Moreover, climate has changed. Welcome to Cameron Highlands where the temperature has become quit similar to the temperature on lowland, so you don’t have to worry about catching a cold here even if you bring no jacket to keep you warm.

No one would doubt the authority of the Surat Kuning if there was no fatal flash flood in recent days.

And Cameron Highlands MP Datuk Seri G. Palanivel still called it another “natural disaster”. It seemed that he was trying to trivialise the issue.

After his “natural disaster” remarks were severely criticised and he found no way to justify his argument, all parties started to shirk responsibility and eventually, the Surat Kuning became the one to be blamed.

With the Surat Kuning, illegal farming went rampant and there was no use of opposing to the so-called development since there was a Surat Kuning, no law enforcement action could be taken.

Two weeks later, the Sultan came forward and said that he has nothing to do with the Surat Kuning and if the letters do really exist, then there must be someone who had misused the name of the palace.

So, everything came clear.

Those who used the letter to open up land had forged documents, deceived officers and impeded law enforcement.

We should not be kind to these people. Instead, law should be strictly followed, land should be reclaimed and illegal farming activities should be stopped. Of course, they should also be brought to court for forging documents and deception. In addition to being fined and jailed, they must also take the responsibility of environmental remediation.

Future policies should also be clearer and anyone trying to open up land with a Surat Kuning should be detained and charged for forging documents and fraudulence, since the Sultan has made it very clear that he has never written a Surat Kuning.

No Surat Kuning means no privilege and everything must be done according to law. Officers must take stern actions against those who open up land illegally and even the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can intervene and investigate, to uncover those involved in corruption and abuse of power. The police, meanwhile, must deal with the gangsters, stopping them from threatening law enforcement officers and environmentalists. The MP should not just turn a blind eye to it and continue sleeping.

Without a Surat Kuning, everything will be clear and transparent, while the line between illegal and legal will also be clear. Those violating the law should be arrested and charged, while illegal activities must be completely stopped.

Some environmentalists said that efforts to protect Cameron Highlands have been delayed for 20 years. It has been severely ravaged and is difficult to recover.

However, even if we are late, we still need to make a final effort to save it. — mysinchew.com

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.