The Seremban High Court yesterday gave victory to the settlers of Felda Palong 9, dismissing a suit brought against them by Evergreen Sdn Bhd, the company that got the job from the Felda management to clear the land.

Evergreen was trying to prevent the settlers from appointing contractors offering more money.

The judgment appears to be part of a trend of decisions favouring settlers since last year's Federal Court dismissal of Felda's appeal against the Kota Baru High Court's award of damages to the settlers of Kemahang 3, who had sued the authority for manipulating palm oil grading.

Subsequently, settlers in Sungai Koyan 2, Sungai Koyan 3 and Raja Alias 2 also won their cases against Felda.

The case that ended yesterday involved 30 settlers who plant rubber. Judge Zulkifli Bakar gave his decision in chambers.

PKR deputy secretary-general T Kumar, one of the lawyers for the settlers, said they could now appoint their own contractors to clear the land and take the lumber.

He said they had collectively decided on a contractor who was offering RM50,000 for each acre. Evergreen's price was RM33,000 an acre.

In dismissing Evergreen's suit, the judge ordered the company to pay RM15,000 in costs.

According to another lawyer for the settlers, P Rajasundram, Evergreen got the job as a subcontractor for LBJ Global SdnBhd, the company that the Felda management appointed.

"The judge said the plaintiff could not enforce the agreement between LBJ Global and Felda," he told FMT.