Bentong resort owner to appeal against blockade of entrances

Lawyers Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal (left) and Rajesh Nagarajan (right) with their client, environmentalist Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil. (Rajesh Nagarajan pic)

PETALING JAYA: Environmentalist Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil will appeal to the Pahang government to reopen the entrances leading to her holiday resort located in Bentong.

Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, who represents Shariffa, said he had been instructed by his client to promptly lodge an appeal to the state government.

“Although there was no notice, we will still be appealing the closure of the entrances,” he told FMT.

When asked under which law the appeal would be filed, Rajesh said it would be a general appeal for the removal of the concrete blocks at the entrances.

“We can’t refer to any specific law as we don’t know what powers the state has invoked in this unilateral closure of the entrances.

“The state should, on an urgent basis, provide us with a copy of the notice for the closure of the entrances,” he said.

Yesterday, Rajesh slammed the closure of entrances to the holiday resort, saying that it was “completely illegal” to deprive a landowner access to their property.

He said the closure of both entrances to the Tanah Aina resort and its Fareena Cafe and Restaurant was done without written notice, and that they were unaware which authority had done so.

In March 2022, Shariffa, who is former president of the Association for the Protection of Natural Heritage of Malaysia, claimed trial to encroaching on state land at three plots in Bentong, Ulu Dong and Terap in June 2021.

The land was allegedly turned into a resort area and used for business activities by Tanah Aina Fareena Cafe & Restaurant, Tanah Aina Fahad Glamping Resort and Tanah Aina Farrah Soraya Exclusive Eco Resort.

Rajesh said the resort only had two access points, one of which was blocked last Tuesday and the other yesterday.

He asked why the authorities were only taking such action now when the resort had operated using these routes since 2010.

Commenting on the case, Pahang menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail denied the closure of the entrances was done abruptly and said Shariffa could still file an appeal against the action.

“We had informed them long ago, it’s not like we suddenly decided to take action.

“As they have not complied with notices and warnings, the state government through its enforcement agencies had to take action,” he was quoted as saying to Utusan Malaysia.

Rajesh, in response, reiterated that no such notice or warning was received by his client and called on the authorities to provide proof of this.