Palanivel not the only one responsible for Camerons
Don’t point fingers, says Palanivel on royal rebuke
It is surprising that the head of state and chief executive appear unaware of these ongoing abuses and possible corruption at their very doorsteps. Pointing fingers and pinning blame at scapegoats will not solve the issue.
The state authorities who oversee land matters are in the best position to curb the plunder provided their hands are clean and they have the political will to preserve the Highlands.
Environment Minister and MIC chief G Palanivel is just a decorative piece in the puzzle and pointing the finger at him is a non-starter if the state authorities are serious about putting a stop to further devastation and deaths in the Camerons.
Desperate for Change: It is not just Palanivel’s fault. It is everyone’s fault. Everyone had a hand in developing Cameron Highlands.
There was just too much development and cutting down of trees and no assessment of how to put things back and right. Now the finger-pointing and when the dust settles, everything goes back to normal until the next landslide.
Vijay47: Leaving aside for the moment the landslides matter, one thing is so obvious from Palanivel’s statement – these non-Umno leaders cannot make a single dignified factual statement without it being steeped with compliments and flattery towards their political masters.
In Palanivel’s case, he has hedged his position quite firmly, since the beneficiaries of his praises are threefold – the sultan, the prime minister, and the deputy PM. Hey, three aces are pretty tough to beat. But to be sure of the jackpot, he should have included one queen.
It is also rather surprising that he did not mention the now usual, “I will take his advice as from a caring parent towards his son”.
Abasir: The continual rape of the Highlands over the decades has been both planned, and systematic with the collusion of several so-called stakeholders and protectors of ‘nusa, bangsa dan agama’.
If anyone in authority claims that they’ve had no inkling about the illegal logging and clearing of land (clearly visible from the air and roads) they are lying. Mahathir has admitted that he was whispered to about the kingpins involved. But for reasons best known to him, he has not disclosed who they are.
But the rakyat may guess quite accurately, knowing full well that these shady land-related deals cannot happen in the states without a chain of approvals stretching all the way to the gates of those who wield power and influence.
Pahang MB Adnan Yaakob, the Umno’s hand-signal specialist, is taking cover while pathetic Palanivel is shoved to the front to face the fire.
Kingfisher: Unfortunately, Palanivel from MIC is possibly the most convenient public face to be tarred and feathered, while those who are possibly actually culpable have escaped public reprimand.
And some are possibly laughing all the way to the bank as they say. According to an old adage, such is the nature of the pecking order for those at the tail end.
However, it’s good that he has expressed dissent of his culpability and claimed some dignity and decorum.
Tpn: This tragedy has been waiting to happen for a long time. I remember going there many times more than 15 years ago.
Even then, I saw many trailers going down with huge timber logs. The locals there knew who was behind the illegal logging back then. No action was taken. Suddenly now the pointing of fingers has started.
Axolotl: Every single day, I shed silent tears when I see a continuous stream of log-laden lorries coming from Pahang. Who has the authority to issue logging concessions, if not the Pahang royal house and the menteri besar? The rot always begins from the head.
Mushiro: No one is responsible for the mud slide in Cameron Highlands, not Palanivel, not the sultan, not the MB, not even PM Najib Razak who is from Pahang, not the Immigration Department with thousands of illegal foreign workers there, not the MACC which is still clueless, not the government staff which closed one eye, not the rich vegetables towkays – I suspect it must be Anwar Ibrahim again.
Pahang sultan roasts Palanivel over landslides
Outraged: HRH (His Royal Highness), please read letter toMalaysiakini signed by ‘A Very Fed-up Malaysian’. I cannot improve on what he has written on the facts and truths of abuse and neglect in Camerons.
Somehow, the elephant in the room missed all our officials who jump only when a tragedy happens. Where are the preventive and sustainable masterplans?
Basically: The bigger picture, a very sad one on my visit to Cameron Highlands a few years ago after two decades, was how BN has completely destroyed the place. It is in shambles.
The environment is destroyed, the cool air no longer cool, it’s polluted, congested, overpopulated and overflowing with foreign workers, and the hills are ruined.
There was a state reserve park that was in complete disrepair, with abandoned huts and offices and the jungle walks filthy.
Palanivel’s just the scapegoat. He should have given the seat to DAP. And his role as environment minister is probably to make excuses for BN’s environmental rampage.
Headhunter: Illegal clearing has been reported for years and landslides had been a yearly affair. Like all things bad in the country, problems have not been nipped in the bud because of corruption and abuse of power by those in charge.
As for the present environment minister, he’s just doing what past ministers had been doing; nothing.
Sodom Me Sodom You: The right thing to do is to investigate each and every company, legal or otherwise on the environmental impact of their business pursuits.
An independent investigation panel needs to be set up to track the trail of corruption. Everyone involved will need to be hauled up and held accountable.
Why all the finger pointing? Let people with information come forth and reveal the truth. Nothing these people in power can do now will bring back the dead.
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