The Musang King durian plantation company has again attempted to demolish the blockade set up by the Temiar community in Gua Musang, claimed Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan chairperson Mustafa Along.
According to Mustafa, when they were denied entry to deliver goods, about 10 company workers tried to pull down the blockade barrier at the Kaleg blockade, near Pos Tohoi, at about 3.20pm today.
“The workers from the Musang King company tried to get in but we blocked them. Then, they tried to pull down the blockade barrier with a metal rope hooked to their four-wheel-drive vehicle,” he told Malaysiakini.
“However, they could not pull it down as we all were sitting on the barrier to stop them.”
Mustafa added that one of the workers threatened to send in more “thugs” tonight.
He claimed that the Musang King durian plantation company had hired locals from the nearby Kampung Kuala Betis to intimidate them.
Since the beginning of 2012, the Orang Asli in Gua Musang have been actively defending their lands by setting up blockades to prevent workers from logging, mining and plantation companies from entering.
This year, the Temiar activists have been manning three blockades since February 15.
Although the Rural Development Deputy Minister R Sivarasa had promised to help resolve the dispute between Orang Asli villagers and the plantation company, the Kaleg blockade at Pos Tohoi was torn down by the company on Aug 4, shortly after the minister’s visit.
On Aug 10, after meeting with the Temiar community leaders who came to Putrajaya, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad also promised to resolve the problems but conceded that the PAS-controlled Kelantan government had the final say over land matters.
Later, the Kelantan state government departments demolished all three blockades on Aug 27. Each time after they were demolished, the Orang Asli rebuilt them.
The Musang King company had previously claimed it was the victim of an "illegal blockade" and appealed to the prime minister to intervene in the tussle. - Mkini
Where is the Gua Musang MP. Hiding? Or became Musang King. I belive in the latter.
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