PLANTER scheme operator East West One Group (EWOG) is relived that the Kuala Lumpur High Court has allowed its application to compel Pacific Trustees Bhd (PTB) to release RM6.77 mil for approved claims in undertaking its rehabilitation and restructuring (R&R) exercise.
In delivering its decision, the Court found that the trustee had failed to comply with the terms of a consent judgment previously recorded before the Court despite EWOG having submitted the claims and provided the required supporting documentation and explanations.
“The R&R programme has commenced pursuant to the mandate given by planters. However, the pace of implementation is ultimately dependent on timely access to funds that have been allocated for this purpose,” commented an EWOG spokesman of the group’s on-going rehabilitation efforts.
“These are not discretionary funds. They are monies intended to facilitate the recovery of the plantations for the benefit of planters and stakeholders. Every delay in releasing approved funds directly affects field operations, increases rehabilitation costs and prolongs the recovery period.”
Added the spokesmen: “The KL High Court’s decision reinforces what EWOG has consistently maintained – that unnecessary delays in fund disbursement jeopardise the rehabilitation exercise and place the plantations at risks of further deterioration.”
As it is, the rehabilitation activities have commenced following approval by planters on Aug 12, 2024.
The R&R exercise was overwhelmingly supported by planters as the most practical pathway to restore plantation productivity, safeguard estate values and maximise long-term recovery prospects.
‘EWOG fully committed to rehabilitation’
However, implementation has been significantly hampered by delays in the release of funds that are currently held under PTB trusteeship despite a court judgement.
This is despite plantation rehabilitation is inherently time-sensitive. Oil palms require continuous maintenance, fertilisation, harvesting support, drainage management, infrastructure repairs and labour deployment.
Any delay in the required funding deployment directly affects operational recovery and increases the eventual cost of rehabilitation and contributes to possible failure.
On this note, the Court further recognised that oil palm estates constitute living biological assets requiring continuous upkeep. Any prolonged interruption in maintenance funding may result in irreversible operational damage, reduced yields and diminished estate value.
EWOG has continued to face scrutiny regarding the pace of rehabilitation despite the primary obstacle being delays in access to funds approved under the R&R framework.
The group is currently managing the expectations of planters, landowners, contractors and estate workers while awaiting the release of funds necessary to carry out critical rehabilitation works.
In this regard, EWOG maintains that all stakeholders share a common objective to ensue that rehabilitation funds reach the ground promptly so that plantation recovery can proceed efficiently, thus the interest of planters can be protected.
The group further reiterated its full commitment to executing the R&R exercise, restoring plantation productivity, preserve underlying asset values and achieving the best possible recovery outcome for all stakeholders.
Towards this end, EWOG will continue to pursue all available legal and legal and operational avenue steps to ensure that all approved rehabilitation funds are released without further delay and that implementation of the rehabilitation exercise proceeds as intended. – June 15, 2026
