IPOH: About 200 farmers in Kanthan affected by the Silver Valley Technology Park (SVTP) project may soon be allowed to use unused land owned by the Railways Assets Corporation (RAC), says Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim.
The political secretary to the Finance Minister said discussions are ongoing to facilitate the move.
“This is a long-standing issue that has remained unresolved.
“The aim is to provide a pathway for these farmers to continue their agricultural activities while sustaining their livelihoods and supporting their families,” he told reporters in Klebang on Friday (April 24).
He said talks with RAC would determine how much unused land can be allocated.
“RAC has agreed in principle to allocate or lease part of its land for this purpose. We are still negotiating the terms, including the lease period,” he said.
Kamil added that a site visit will be conducted to assess the suitability of several locations.
“We expect to identify more suitable areas after the visit and, within the next few months, hope to offer a comprehensive solution to the farmers,” he said.
He said about 200 farmers were affected, each previously cultivating between 0.8ha and 1.2ha of land.
“While we may not be able to replace the same amount of land, we are working with the Agriculture Department and relevant agencies to help them adopt modern farming methods.
“With these methods, farmers can potentially generate similar income from smaller plots,” he said.
He added that RAC has identified over 93ha of unused land in Tanjung Rambutan, near Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, along a disused railway alignment.
“There are also efforts to explore whether unused land under the Lands and Mines Department can be leased to the farmers.
“We are identifying the most suitable areas to ensure they can continue their agricultural activities,” he said.
“If land allocation and planning can be finalised quickly, we aim to implement this within one to two months without further delay,” he added.
