16 Orang Asli activists, two journalists detained in Gua Musang

Sixteen Orang Asli activists, a journalist and a videographer from Singapore's Channel News Asia, were the latest to be detained by the Kelantan Forestry Department over anti-logging blockades in the interiors of Gua Musang.

Orang Asli activist Mustafa Along, 29, who was detained together with his colleagues at the blockade site, said the incident took place at 9am today.

"The Forestry Department officers arrived at the site and began to tear down the blockade, together with 19 houses.

"Sixteen of us, 15 males and one female, were kept at the site. We were detained until noon," Mustafa told Malaysiakini when contacted.

"The journalists were handcuffed. An officer later removed their handcuffs so they could sign the documents to (allow the officer to) confiscate their equipment," he said.

"By 11am, they were taken to Gua Musang. The officers who continued to destroy the blockade only released us by noon. We are now walking back to our village," Mustafa said.

[More to follow]

--Mkini