Malaysia’s Pahang sultan calls for firm enforcement against land encroachment amid tensions over 1,000 durian trees felled

Enforcement against encroachment must not be seasonal or sporadic, but implemented consistently to prevent any party from taking advantage of the state's resources, the Sultan said at a meeting with the leadership of the Malaysian Women Journalists Association last Thursday, as quoted by the New Straits Times.

He also stressed that enforcement must be conducted in line with the law, and that those found violating it must face firm action to discourage similar cases.

"I am still unsatisfied with the enforcement efforts to prevent land encroachment, but I believe the state government is doing its best, as Pahang's forests are vast," he said.

"They require all available manpower to carry out continuous monitoring and enforcement to detect any encroachment."

He added that the government should raise public awareness and encourage people to support its efforts by reporting any illegal activity they encounter.

This picture taken on Feb. 8, 2021, shows durians hanging on a tree at a farm in Raub in Malaysia's Pahang state. Photo by AFP

The Sultan had previously expressed shock and anger over the scale of land encroachment in his state, saying the situation "makes my blood boil."

He disclosed in April that nearly 14,500 hectares of government land in the state had been illegally occupied and planted with crops such as oil palm, rubber, and durian, according to the Malay Mail.

He also revealed that over 5,900 hectares of permanent forest reserves had been encroached upon as part of what he called a blatant theft of public resources.

That same month, the Pahang government launched a targeted enforcement effort known as "Op Sekat 3.0" to crack down on illegal land use in Raub district.

Raub, often referred to as Malaysia’s durian capital and nicknamed "Musang King Durian Town," is home to some 150,000 durian trees spread across 2,000 hectares of state-owned land.

The operation, which ran from April 8 to May 3, led to the felling of more than 1,000 durian trees, many of them the highly valued Musang King variety, according to local media reports.

It drew backlash from farmers, who staged protests by blocking access roads and putting up banners to voice their anger over the clearing of crops they claimed to have cultivated for years, Free Malaysia Today reported.

The Save Musang King Alliance, which represents the farmers, argued that a court decision issued last May barred the government from destroying their orchards.

Authorities, however, maintained that they had not violated any court orders and insisted they were within their rights to reclaim and clear the land.

While some criticized the crackdown, it received backing from local non-governmental organizations and residents, many of whom viewed the long-standing land encroachment as a serious issue that needed to be addressed.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which has been investigating the matter, said in May that it was tracing witnesses dating back to 2004 and gathering related documents and testimonies, as reported by national news agency Bernama.

The agency earlier said it had compiled a list of individuals linked to the Pahang land dispute, which includes multiple former officials.

The agency’s chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki, said it was also considering investigating the issue under laws addressing the dishonest use of property.

"So we are now looking at both criminal elements and governance issues. We are also investigating corruption, particularly involving enforcement officers who are suspected of receiving bribes at the time," he noted.

Malaysia exported over 27,000 tonnes of durian in 2023, generating US$44.49 million in export revenue, figures from global trade data provider TradeImeX show. Its export volume surged last year after it secured an agreement with Beijing to allow the export of fresh durians to China, which had previously been limited to frozen ones.