04/08/2012 (Daily Express) - The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has been urged to strictly enforce its regulations by instructing the Fruit Collection Centre (FCC) to reject the "unknown fruits", to curb fruit theft in oil palm estates and private lands occupied by illegal immigrants.

The call came from newly-formed Sabah Solidarity Party (SSP) protem chairman, Osman Enting, after a 40-year-old man was served with a committal order on Wednesday, saying only stringent actions from relevant authorities would help solve the perennial problem.

The Indonesian man, who had been served with an eviction order in 2007, had chosen to stay on the private land until today.

He was ordered to turn up at the High Court in Sandakan to show cause on why he refused to adhere to the order and let the area be vacant, failing which a warrant of arrest would be issued against him.

Osman, formerly Sabah People Front deputy president, said to his surprise, the man, refused to sign the documents handed over by the court bailiff, who was accompanied by an officer from Tan Pang Tsen & Co.

He instead told the court personnel that he had to consult his "director" first before signing the letter, said Osman who first thought this person the offender mentioned was Land and Survey Department Director Datuk Osman Jamal.

To his (Osman) surprise, the defaulter's "director" was a state leader from opposition PAS.

Osman advised the said "director" to give priority to the locals than caring for the illegals.

According to the MPOB management, licence for selling oil palm fruits (Porla Licence) is only issued to eligible landowners with valid land titles.

"I came to understand that not every FCC would follow the regulations set up by MPOB, which thus encourages the increase in the number of the 'unknown fruits'," said Osman, who urged the relevant authorities to strictly enforce their regulations to ensure local planters or farmers' interests would be protected.