Muhyiddin: No forgiveness for Camerons culprits, masterminds

Muhyiddin (right) speaking to reporters after chairing the special meeting on flash floods and landslides in Cameron Highlands at the National Security Council's operation room in Putrajaya on Sunday.

PUTRAJAYA: "No forgiveness for you!" That was the stern warning given by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to the culprits responsible for the recent mud flood and landslides in Cameron Highlands. 

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government would launch an integrated operation involving several enforcement agencies to ensure that illegal immigrants who are behind illegal land clearing activities be brought to justice. 

"One of the causes of the problems (floods and landslides) is the lack of enforcement against the culprits. 

"The Government will take stern action and I have instructed for a massive operation be carried out," Muhyiddin said. 

He was speaking to reporters after chairing a special meeting on flash floods and landslides in Cameron Highlands at the National Security Council's operation room here, Sunday.

Muhyiddin said the operation would be carried out immediately as some of the culprits had challenged the Government and law enforcement agencies to take action against them.

On the allegations that encroachment activities of illegal immigrants were protected by politicians, he said it should not be an excuse for them to be spared from legal action.

"For me, politicians or non-politicians, what's important is that the environment should not be destroyed in an irresponsible manner by irresponsible quarters.

"We are not worried, we don't care, we need to act against them. If they (politicians) are found to be the masterminds, they will not escape legal action," he said.

He said what was important was to protect the environment and the safety of the people.

Muhyiddin added that discussions should be carried out with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) because apart from Bangladeshis and Nepalese, there were over 4,000 Rohingya refugees with a UNHCR ID card in Cameron Highlands.

He said even though the refugees were protected by the UNHCR, they would not be spared from legal action if they were found to have violated the country's laws. 

The mud flood and landslides which occurred in Kampung Raja, Ringlet and Bertam Valley in Cameron Highlands last Wednesday had claimed five lives and caused more than 90 victims from 28 families to be evacuated. – Bernama