CAMERON HIGHLANDS: NO illegal foreign workers should be allowed to wander around the highlands or other parts of the state, Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah said.
On his second day of visit to the highlands due to the massive illegal land clearing, the sultan said stern action would be taken against illegal workers. He appealed to the Federal Government to help in the state’s efforts.
Expressing regret over news reports of the highlands being “invaded” by more than 30,000 Bangladeshi nationals, the ruler said there was no truth to such claims, which was damaging to his subjects.
“I hope if you (decide to report on such things in future), meet the authorities first. For example, there is a district officer in Cameron Highlands. He will give you whatever information you want. He will not hide it from you. We cannot talk without information. Don’t try to scare my rakyat (subjects).
“We will put a stop to illegal foreign workers encroaching on our state. We don’t sympathise with them. We will get rid of them sooner or later. We mean business,” he said after appearing from a briefing at the district office yesterday.
The ruler spent more than two hours being briefed on what had transpired in Cameron Highlands in the past one month as well as the mud floods and landslide tragedy. He was accompanied by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.
Sultan Ahmad Shah said the state government had its own plans to address the illegal foreign worker issue, but said did not reveal the details.
“We will do our part. I, as the ruler, along with my menteri besar and other officers, are loyal and hard working. This is in the plan.”
Sultan Ahmad Shah said the state could only appeal to the Federal Government but said the power was at its feet.
“There is no such things as we are at its mercy. They have to remember that Pahang is a sovereign state and the ruler is a sovereign ruler. I have the power in my state and no one can push us around.
“The prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) is also from the state. I will appeal to him on behalf of my rakyat. He is a good man and we have to give him our support for the good of the country.
“I admire him being a working prime minister. He is here, there, all over. He doesn’t believe in stopping and not doing anything. And for that, we love him. I will support him all the way.”
Prior to the impromptu press conference, Sultan Ahmad Shah had a brief encounter with the Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong.
Chay lamented about the hardship faced by nearly 1,000 association members following the authorities’ war against illegal foreign workers.
The ruler told him the action would be taken continuously.
“There is a standing order on things that cannot be done. Don’t worry. It will be resolved.
“I promise you I will come again in January. You are my rakyat and I am your ruler and because of that, I am here in Bertam Valley.
“I need you to jointly develop the state. We don’t want a small group of people trying to scare us. We will fight them.”
-NST
