KUANTAN, May 5 — Pahang police are investigating a viral video on social media containing defamatory and seditious statements against enforcement agencies in the state regarding land whitening operations in Cameron Highlands.
Pahang police chief, Datuk Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said police had detected the 36 seconds clip showing an operation to destroy crops on state-owned land on Dec 18, 2019.
“The video alleges corrupt practices in Cameron Highlands and that farmers who employ foreigners, especially Myanmar nationals illegally have to pay to the government and the local authorities between RM35 and RM40 a day for every worker.
“It also claimed that police forced the farmers to provide contributions so that they can carry out activities without interruption and that authorities would send thugs called the ‘red army’ to destroy the farm if they failed to pay money as well as to serve as a lesson to other farmers,” he said at a press conference at the Pahang contingent police headquarters here today.
Also present were Pahang Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) head SAC Mohd Yusri Othman and Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) head Supt Kamarulzaman Jusoh.
All the statements, Ramli stressed, were allegations to tarnish the reputation of enforcement agencies and the state government.
The Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association has also denied the existence of the alleged ‘red army’.
Ramli said the two men shown in the clip were members of an enforcement agency tasked with clearing the land after the state government revoked its temporary occupation licence on Jan 18, 2018, and issued a land evacuation notice.
Following the spread of the old video, Ramli said he had received a police report and further investigation was carried out under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation and also the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
In another development, Ramli said Pahang police issued 112,112 summonses throughout the 18th Op Selamat in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations since it was launched on April 29 until yesterday, of which 9,565 were six major offences which can only be resolved in court. — Bernama
