Across Malaysia, generations of farmers are being evicted from land they’ve cultivated for decades. Many were encouraged to farm this public land during the British colonial era and under Tun Razak’s Green Book Plan in the 1970s to boost food security. Their parents and grandparents answered the call — clearing land, planting crops, and feeding the country.

But small-scale farming has never been lucrative. Many of these families made just enough to survive, without the capital or access needed to pursue other careers or businesses. So they stayed on the land, passed down tools and knowledge, and kept farming. They applied for leases over the decades, but were ignored by the state governments. 

And yet when major developers or state GLCs apply for the land, it’s an entirely different story. Titles are given out, eviction notices are issued, and police arrive in full force to assist in evicting the farmers.

State governments have full control over public land. They are not required to conduct open tenders, consult the public, or disclose the terms of any deal. This lack of transparency enables political patronage, while the people who worked the land for decades are treated as trespassers.

The consequences are national: displaced livelihoods, rising food imports, and the slow death of local farming communities. But the farmers are fighting back — organizing, protesting, demanding land rights and reform.

This is about more than farming. It’s about justice, food security, and the future of our land. Stand with the farmers. Help push for transparency and protection, before the last harvest disappears.