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Thursday, November 20, 2014

In rebut, Palanivel believes he has done a lot for Cameron Highlands

 MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he believed he did take steps to curb land clearing and flash floods in his constituency, Cameron Highlands. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, November 20, 2014. MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he believed he did take steps to curb land clearing and flash floods in his constituency, Cameron Highlands. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, November 20, 2014.
MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel today listed the steps he had taken to address land clearing and flash floods in Cameron Highlands, after criticism and calls for his resignation that he had failed to serve his constituency.
Rebutting critics who have charged him with inaction over the sorry state of Cameron Highlands and the recent mudslide that killed five people, Palanivel took to his Facebook account to post a statement defending himself and to explain what he had done to rehabilitate the tourist spot in his one-and-a-half years as its MP.
"To say I have done nothing about this problem is wrong… Many things had already happened even before I was elected MP," said Palanivel, who is also the minister of natural resources and environment.
Of the things done to rehabilitate the highlands, he said the government had allocated RM40 million for flood mitigation in the Bertam Valley.
He also requested federal funds for river mitigation works in Ringlet, besides holding discussions with the district officer, land officer and environmental non-government organisations.
He noted the Immigration Department's crackdown on illegal workers and their employers in farms, and also suggested "an intensive tree planting project" to mitigate the effects of illegal land clearing.
Palanivel said illegal land clearing was something "which has been going on" and which the government viewed seriously.
A recent meeting on the November 6 mudslide chaired by the deputy prime minister had resolved that "a more concerted effort should be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future", he said.
And he had met 75 residents affected by the mudslide and donated RM1,000 each of them.
He also responded to the Sultan of Pahang's criticism against him, saying he had a "good relationship" with Sultan Ahmad Shah and the palace.
"I will explain everything to His Highness, both the good and bad. I am certain the sultan's concern for the land and his people is genuine and his heart is always on their welfare," Palanivel said.
The sultan accused him of not taking any action to solve environmental problems in the Bertram Valley following another flood last year in which four people died.
“What has he done? Nothing. My subjects suffer from mental and physical pain when a tragedy like this strikes… He (Palanivel) was elected last year and is this his way of rewarding them?” the sultan was quoted as saying by Utusan today.
Palanivel was also asked to resign from leading MIC, an Indian-based party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, by MIC strategic director Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari, who urged him to quit over the recent mudslide.
Vell Paari said it was disheartening to read the sultan's admonishment of the MIC president, and said that his call to resign was not part of any plot to oust the MIC president.
"Perhaps the time has come for the MIC president to retire from politics. It is a case of simply stating the facts. And I am certain that my view is shared by many in the party," Vell Paari said.
Palanivel also sought to quash the perception that he was rarely in his constituency, saying he had visited Cameron Highlands several times since being elected as its MP in the May general election last year.
He also said that he had raised Cameron Highlands's problems during cabinet meetings and held discussions with Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob on the matter.
"I am sure we can rehabilitate Cameron Highlands and stop the massive environmental degradation that has happened.
"Let us all realise that we are equal stakeholders and work to save Cameron Highlands."
- TMI

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