The Raub durian land case, as the courts and parties described it
A five-year legal dispute over Musang King orchards on Pahang state land ended when the farmers withdrew their appeals in December 2025.
The case began in 2020. Malay Mail reported that year that Pahang awarded lease and use rights over 5,357 acres, about 2,167 hectares, in Raub to a joint venture involving Royal Pahang Durian Group and the state agricultural corporation PKPP. On 24 July, farmers received notices to leave state-land plots within 30 days. Malay Mail reported the government's position that farmers had encroached on about 7,000 acres of state land.
A farmers' group, the Save Musang King Alliance, said members had applied for titles and been refused, and objected to what it said were the levy and fixed buying price under the new arrangement. Royal Pahang Durian Group rejected those allegations, saying it was protecting the local industry and that the scheme would benefit farmers, the state and the sector.
The High Court in Kuantan suspended evictions on 28 August 2020 pending the legal challenge. In December 2020, Malay Mail, citing Malaysiakini, reported that the court dismissed two leave applications for lack of standing. The matter returned to court, and in April 2024, FMT reported, the High Court dismissed the judicial review; citing Utusan Malaysia, FMT said the judge ruled that the state's actions were not malicious.
On 4 December 2025, Malay Mail reported, the farmers' lawyer told the Court of Appeal they would not proceed. The bench struck out the appeals and awarded RM8,000 in costs to the state-side respondents; Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP did not seek costs. This summary reports what these outlets published and takes no position on the dispute.
Sources
- Parties, land area, dates and each side's stated position
- December 2020 dismissal of leave applications, citing Malaysiakini
- April 2024 High Court decision, citing Utusan Malaysia
- December 2025 withdrawal of appeals and costs order