MACC has list of individuals linked to Raub land encroachment, says Azam

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) already has a list of individuals believed to be involved in the land encroachment case in Raub, Pahang, according to its Chief Commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki.

“Yes, we already have a list. Considering the case dates back around 10 years or more, some of the officials involved have since retired,” he told reporters after attending the Southeast Asia Anti-Corruption Conference 2025: Recalling Jakarta Statement, here on Tuesday (April 29).

Commenting on the progress of the investigation, Azam said no arrests have been made so far.

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However, he said the MACC is conducting a thorough probe, not only focusing on governance issues but also examining how the land clearing activities could have taken place without appropriate action from the relevant authorities.

Azam said that the MACC had previously investigated a similar issue in 2021, with the inquiry nearly concluded at the land office level, but the current investigation involves a new wave of encroachment, which appears distinct from earlier cases.

“Some settlers claim they’ve been working the land since 1974. If that were true, the trees would be 40 to 50 years old, but we’ve also found trees only eight or nine years old, which clearly indicates recent encroachment,” he said.

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He further stated that the state government is taking all these factors into account, and individuals or parties responsible would be called upon to assist in the investigation.

Before this, an enforcement operation on durian farms in Raub sparked mixed reactions after farmers claimed to be dissatisfied following the destruction of their crops.

The Pahang government, however, denied allegations of breaching a court order when around 200 Musang King durian trees were felled during an operation in Sungai Klau, Raub, on April 8.

The operation, which involved police and the Pahang State Enforcement Unit (UPNP), was conducted in areas where land had been cleared without permission, and it is expected to continue until May 3. – Bernama