Durian farmers in Raub withdraw their Court of Appeal challenge against eviction, ordered to pay RM8,000 in costs to state authorities
PUTRAJAYA: Durian farmers in Raub have ended their legal battle against eviction from their land after withdrawing their appeal at the Court of Appeal.
A three-judge panel led by Justice Datuk Lim Chong Fong struck out the appeals after the farmers’ lawyer, Brendan Navin Siva, informed the court his clients would not proceed.
The Pahang state government and state agency Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Pahang (PKPP) had applied for legal costs related to the appeal work.
Justice Lim then ordered the farmers to pay RM8,000 in costs to the Raub District Land Administrator, Pahang Forestry director, state authorities, Pahang government and PKPP.
Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP Sdn Bhd did not seek costs.
Last year, the Kuantan High Court dismissed the farmers’ judicial review application to challenge the eviction notices for their farms in Sungai Ruan, Sungai Chalit, Sungai Klau and Tranum.
The High Court ruled the decision to issue the notices complied with the law and was not tainted with illegality.
It had earlier awarded RM200,000 in costs to the Raub District Land Administrator, Pahang Forestry director, state authorities, and the Pahang government.
A further RM200,000 in costs each was awarded to PKPP and Royal Pahang Durian Resources.
The farmers had sought court orders to quash the eviction notices and to compel the grant of land leases to them.
In today’s proceeding, Mohd Irwan Ismail represented Royal Pahang Durian Resources, while Abdul Hafiz and Rozanna Abd Hadi represented the other state respondents. – Bernama
