Orang Asli dept: No control over logging, pollution

The Kelantan and Terengganu Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) has acknowledged that the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang, Kelantan is being threatened by widespread logging and water pollution, but that the causes are beyond its control.

"Jakoa constantly takes note of the water pollution around Orang Asli villages as a result of logging activities,” it said in an email response to Malaysiakini.

"However, the department does not have power to stop these activities as it is under the state government's jurisdiction."

Nonetheless, it said, the situation is being monitored. Jakoa will also communicate with the state Forestry Department, which issues logging licences, should logging encroach into the water catchment area.

Last month,Malaysiakini had reported that the traditional way of life of the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang is beingthreatened by endemic logging for mass plantation under the Kelantan government's Ladang Rakyat programme.

Furthermore, the logging activities have destroyed the water catchment areas of several villages there and turned rivers murky with muddy water.

Jakoa denied that it has failed to safeguard these communities against logging activities, instead fingering the state government for keeping it out of the loop.

"Such allegations are untrue as the Ladang Rakyat project is by the Kelantan government and carried out on state land even though some may be near Orang Asli settlements.

"Jakoa has never been invited by the state authority to discuss the Ladang Rakyat project.”

The department said all Orang Asli settlements in Kelantan are considered to be on state land, as none of these areas have been gazetted for the community except for that in Kampung Jedip, which was gazetted on March 29 last year.

"However, Jakoa had in 2011 appointed 15 surveyors to measure an area of 5907.72 ha for gazetting as Orang Asli settlements. In 2012, Jakoa appointed 45 surveyors involving an area of 5,875 ha," it said.

Utility supplies

Asked about the Orang Asli villages not having functioning basic amenities despite having solar panels and water treatment plants, Jakoa said the problems are being rectified.

With regard to solar panels that are no longer functioning, it said these are too expensive to be repaired.

"The solar panels were installed in 2002 under a project by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry... due to prolonged use, the damage is not economical to repair.

"However, Jakoa is in the process of supplying electricity through a solar hybrid system to the Orang Asli villages.”

For starters, the department said two clusters of Orang Asli settlements, namely Pos Brooke and Pos Tohoi, will be linked to an electricity grid that will provide round-the-clock power supply.

As for water, Jakoa said the infrastructure is functioning but cannot be operated due to the lack of fuel supply.

"Fuel cannot be supplied for now as the contract has expired. The ministry and department are in the process of appointing a contractor for maintenance of the water treatment plants," it added.