KUANTAN, Feb 14: Orang Asli involved in Group Plantation Scheme (TSB) and Commercial Replanting Scheme (TSK) projects throughout Pahang need not worry as their rubber or oil palm plantations will continue to operate as usual.
State Islamic Affairs, Rural Development, and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman (Exco) Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad said the state government is currently taking several actions on the involved lands to facilitate the land tax payment process as done for other agencies.
“It is understood that the plantations managed by Risda Plantation under TSB and TSK in Pahang cover an area of 17,012 hectares, and we are currently working on finding mechanisms to facilitate land tax payments through discussions and land surveys.
“Therefore, Orang Asli participants under the 184 TSB and TSK projects need not worry because their rubber and oil palm plantation enterprises will continue to operate as usual, and there is no issue of us wanting to sell the involved land,” he said at a press conference here today.
Syed Ibrahim said the Pahang government is even striving to provide the plantation land to the participants involved, as some of them have been managing it for more than 30 years.
He added that the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) also manages participants’ plantations, and the proceeds are then given to the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) to be paid to them in the form of dividends based on the area of their respective plantations.
— BERNAMA