Gua Musang Orang Asli file 'rampant logging' complaint with Suhakam

Frustration and disappointment with rampant deforestation was what brought a group of 40 Orang Asli all the way from 12 villages in Lojing in Gua Musang, Kelantan, to Kuala Lumpur yesterday, with the help of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

“Our village is getting narrower, day by day, because of the rampant logging,” said Rada Jambu, the Tok Batin of Kampung Sigar in Lojing.

According to PSM, logging companies with logging licences are cutting down trees that are as close to 10 metres from the homes of the Orang Asli in Kampung Sigar and Kampung Sendrod.

Pointing to the green areas on a map of Kampung Sigar, Rada (photo) said that the village is part of the Lojing permanent forest reserve and only a small area is left untouched.

“There is no more forest reserve, and plastic houses are found everywhere,” he said.

The map also marked the locations and names of the rivers in Kampung Sigar, which Rada said are historical as they were discovered by his ancestors from generations ago.

Rada also said that the villagers can no longer drink water from those rivers as they were now contaminated.

“The water has become murky, like milk, and we cannot drink from the rivers because companies like Sigar Highlands are damaging the forests,” he said.

Angah Pandak, another Tok Batin from Kampung Kuala Tahu, said that 3,000 hectares of the Orang Asli’s land have been occupied by the government to run vegetable farms.

Angah also said the houses of the Orang Asli were destroyed when the forest was cleared and the those from Kampung Kuala Tahu had to move up north after they were chased out of their village.

“Without the forest, how are we going to look for food and medicine?

“We want the government to return the 3,000 hectares of our land and they can have the rest of the land,” said Angah.

The Lojing Orang Asli representative, Muya Bahsaid added that the Orang Asli were chased out of Kampung Kuala Tahu by Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (Jakoa) back in 2000.

The Tok Batin of Kampung Sendrod, Anis Akai, said the 800 Orang Asli living in the village can now only live on the small area of land they have.

“They have destroyed the graves of our ancestors and now all 800 of us are living on two acres of land,” said Anis.

He added that there are only three or four houses left and there is not enough land to build more houses.

Suhakam urged to start public enquiry

With the said losses of the Orang Asli, PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan submitted a memorandum to Suhakam on behalf of the Orang Asli in Lojing to fight for their rights as the aborigines of the country.

“No state government has the power to make any enactment, policy or issue logging licences as doing so is a violation of the special rights of the

PSM urged Suhakam to start a public enquiry on the deforestation and violation of Orang Asli rights in Lojing and to have all logging activities stopped for investigations to be done.

The rights of the arrested and released on the same day on Tuesday, when the Kelantan Forestry Department dismantled an anti-logging blockade near Pos Bihai.

Another five affected as they were arrested at Simpang Petei on Monday and released the next day.- Mkini