KUANTAN: Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob swore at the Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting today that he had never received any bribe from vegetable farmers in Cameron Highlands.
“In the name of Allah and the Messengers, I swear in this august house that I and the Exco (Executive Council Members) have never received any bribe from Chinese vegetable farmers in Cameron Highlands.
“But when I swear like this, don’t anyone say that I received from other sources,” he said.
According to him, the Pahang state government had stopped issuing temporary occupation licences (TOL) in Cameron Highlands for a long time, that is since the year 2000 in efforts to preserve the highlands from uncontrolled exploitation.
In fact, he said, beginning 2007 every renewal of the TOL must also be brought to the state government meeting for approval and not through the district office anymore.
He said the move aimed to prevent corruption among administrators at the district level.
“But when I make this move, many thought that I and the Exco members want to take monetary bribes from the vegetable farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile in another development, Adnan said that the year 2017 would be made as the Visit Pahang Year to boost the tourism industry in the state.
“The last time the Visit Pahang Year was implemented was in 1994 and Pahang still has many products that can be featured such as the National Park and other international-level events.” — Bernama