Orang Asli villagers get longer stop-work order on their land

 

The villagers are seeking a declaration that the Orang Asli of Kampung Kelaik are the rightful owners of the ancestral land.

PETALING JAYA: Three Orang Asli villagers from Gua Musang who are suing the Kelantan government and 13 others over encroachment into their ancestral land, had been granted an extension to an injunction to stop all work on their land.

The villagers, Ahak Uda, 54, Aziz Angah, 33, and Anjang Uda, 30 were granted an injunction on March 18.

This evening, the High Court in Kota Bharu granted an interim stay until April 25, their lawyers, Sachpreetraj Singh and Rajesh Nagarajan, told FMT.

The villagers are seeking a declaration that the Orang Asli of Kampung Kelaik are the rightful owners of the ancestral land.

Rajesh said they had argued that if an injunction is not given, these companies will continue to carry out their work, and this includes the felling of trees.

“There will be irreparable harm to the Orang Asli land. We are trying to prevent that,” he said.

Rajesh also said that he would be filing a motion of contempt of court after his clients were informed that some works are still being carried out.

The villagers had named Syarikat Perlombongan Gua Musang Sdn Bhd, Redstar Capital Sdn Bhd, Aqua Orion Sdn Bhd, Damai Corporate Services Sdn Bhd, Sindiyan Sdn Bhd, and Sindiyan Agro Park Sdn Bhd as the first to sixth defendants.

Ladang Kelantan Sdn Bhd, Ikrar Bumi Sdn Bhd, Ladang Ulu Nenggiri Sdn Bhd, Iliasco Engineering & Construction Sdn Bhd, Kelantan Lands and Mines Department, Kelantan Forestry Department, Orang Asli Development Department and the Kelantan state government were named as the seventh to 14th defendants. - FMT