From Flying TOLs To Fixed Rules: Cameron Highlands’ Malaysian Chinese Farmers Grapple With Reform
These farmers contend that their community is disproportionately burdened by restrictive regulations and denied long-term land security, despite their historical contribution to Cameron Highlands’ farming sector.
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In the misty valleys of Cameron Highlands, a growing sense of disillusionment echoes among veteran farmers who feel their community’s historical sacrifices are being forgotten.
The farmers cleared these hills with their bare hands when no one else would, says Wong (not his real name), speaking anonymously to TRP.
We transformed wild jungles into the farmland that feeds the nation today.
Since the 1920s, Chinese farmers have been the driving force behind Cameron Highlands’ agricultural development.
Their manual labour carved productive farms from the untamed wilderness, establishing what would become Malaysia’s premier highland farming region.
The 1980s marked a period of extensive agricultural expansion, as increasing demand for fresh produce led to more forest land being opened up for farming.
However, Wong claims that current policies, particularly the Temporary Occupation License (TOL) system, fail to acknowledge this historical contribution.
It feels like our sacrifices and contributions have been forgotten. Instead of recognition, we face mounting regulations that threaten our livelihood.
He suggests these challenges disproportionately affect Malaysian Chinese farmers despite their community’s pivotal role in establishing Cameron Highlands’ agricultural sector.
The ‘Flying TOL’ Phenomenon
The 1990s saw the emergence of what local farmers call the ‘Flying TOL’ controversy – a complex web of alleged irregular land licensing whose bitter memories still linger in Cameron Highlands today.
Wong and other farmers describe a system they claimed was riddled with irregularities.
They allege some land office officers issued TOLs without proper surveys or clear boundary demarcations.
The paperwork existed, but the proper procedures weren’t followed.
According to these accounts, the situation unravelled when the officers involved were transferred or left their positions.
Farmers attempting to renew their licenses found themselves in a bureaucratic limbo – unable to verify their original arrangements and facing accusations of illegal occupation.
Years of unpaid land rental accumulated as farmers struggled to to deal with the system.
Those who tried to regularise their status often found themselves caught between past informal practices and current regulatory requirements.
The farmers acknowledge their part in these unofficial arrangements but claim they had little choice if they wanted to continue farming.
Farmers’ Choice: How TOL Plots Found New Homes
The term ‘Flying TOL’ emerged from a peculiar practice where TOLs would ‘fly’ or shift from their originally designated plots to different locations.
Farmers explain this occurred because:
- Original TOL Assignment:
- TOLs were issued for specific lot numbers
- Many lots were poorly surveyed or unmarked
- Some lots existed only on paper
- Actual Occupation:
- Farmers would occupy more fertile or accessible plots
- These plots often differed from those specified in TOLs
- Choice locations were preferred over assigned areas
The TOL might say Lot 88, but the actual farm could be on Lot 92. People naturally chose better land when they could.
According to the farmers, land officers of that era either lacked proper oversight or deliberately turned a blind eye to irregularities.
They allege that corruption was endemic, with some officials reportedly accepting bribes to expedite or approve licenses without proper documentation – though these historical claims remain unverified.
From Wilderness To Disputed Territories
Elderly farmers recall that much of Cameron Highlands was untamed wilderness then.
With mountains everywhere and thick jungles, it was nearly impossible to tell exactly where one lot ended and another began.
However, as unexplored lands became scarcer and digitization transformed government file-keeping, these irregularities became more apparent and problematic.
The lack of proper documentation and clear boundaries led to disputes and complications, particularly when farmers attempted to renew their TOLs.
These accounts, though widely shared among farmers, lack corroborating evidence of administrative wrongdoing.
Mapping The Future: Cameron Highlands’ New Chapter
Since 2020, Pahang Corporation Sdn Bhd has spearheaded a ‘land whitening’ program to legalize agricultural land in Cameron Highlands through a rental scheme covering 5,526 hectares.
This initiative aims to regulate land use and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the region.
Previously, the responsibility for managing agricultural land in Cameron Highlands, including the issuance of TOLs, was under the jurisdiction of the Land Office.
However, this responsibility was transferred to Pahang Corporation as part of the state government’s land management reform.
Pahang Corporation introduced a rental-based scheme by taking over from the Land Office, streamlining the process to ensure better oversight, compliance, and sustainable land use practices.
Pahang Corporation’s Role in Land Management and Agricultural Development
Pahang Corporation, a fully-owned company of the Pahang state government, was established in March 2019 to explore and develop new commercial opportunities for the state.
The corporation now manages land owned by Perbadanan Setiausaha Kerajaan (PSK) in Cameron Highlands under agreements facilitated by Pahang Corporation.
This collaboration emphasizes structured agricultural development and improved land governance.
As part of its planning and management efforts, 2,798 hectares of land have recently been surveyed and updated in the database, further supporting its mission to enhance land management and agricultural development in the region.
Farmers Feel Squeeze of Land Reforms
The land reform program has hit small-scale farmers particularly hard:
- Rental rates jumped from approximately RM1,000 to RM4,500 per acre
- Compliance costs tripled
- Applications face lengthy delays
- Maximum land allocation is limited to three acres per individual
“They know most of us here are Chinese farmers,” says Lee, another vegetable farmer.
When implementing policies targeting smallholders, they’re targeting us.
Many farmers lack proper rental agreements despite paying fees to Pahang Corp, the state-owned entity managing agricultural lands.
Caught In The Certification Gap
A significant bottleneck has emerged in Cameron Highlands’ agricultural sector, centred around MyGAP (Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices) certification—now a mandatory condition for formal agreements with Pahang Corporation.
Farmers cannot legally hire foreign workers or secure loans for farm improvements without these certifications.
The certification process has become a contentious issue among the farming community.
“We already follow good farming practices,” argue veteran farmers, whose produce has fed Malaysian families for generations.
For many, MyGAP is another bureaucratic burden that adds little value to their local market operations.
Small-scale farmers particularly struggle with the complex and costly certification requirements, which are more challenging because of their uncertain land tenure status.
The Compliance Conundrum
It’s a catch-22, explains Lee, a local farmer from Kampung Raja, now in his late 50s.
The short-term TOLs hinder Cameron Highlands’ agricultural development. Without tenure security, farmers won’t invest in new technology or attract local investors. That’s why agrarian development here has remained stagnant for decades.
However, Cameron Highlands Malay Farmers Association chairman Datuk Syed Abd Rahman Syed Abd Rashid offers little sympathy for these concerns.
According to him, the farmers’ decision to pay Pahang Corporation has effectively sealed their fate.
He notes that they’ve already accepted the terms through their actions, suggesting the time for negotiation has passed.
Amid Criticism, Farmers See Bright Spots In Land Reform
Despite widespread criticism, some farmers acknowledge the positive aspects of Pahang Corporation’s agricultural land management program in Cameron Highlands.
The state-owned company has shown flexibility by offering instalment payment options to farmers struggling with increased rental rates.
Farmers also acknowledged the program’s consistency in renewal processes, which has provided some security for existing tenants who maintain good payment records.
This policy offers stability in areas where agricultural land is increasingly scarce and valuable.
Moreover, the reform has addressed long-standing issues such as the prevalence of “flying TOLs” of yonder.
By eliminating these practices, the program has brought greater transparency and accountability to agricultural land management in the region.
READ MORE: Malaysia’s Highland Farmers Face Perfect Storm Of Challenges
This story was produced as part of the International Federation of Journalists’s (IFJ) Malaysia project, “Strengthening Malaysia Media for Change”.
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