Nenggiri dam battle: Orang Asli villagers unconvinced by assurances

 

The Orang Asli community battling the Nenggiri dam that will see large swathes of land submerged in water said they had to resort to organising a protest in Putrajaya as the Kelantan government has been insensitive towards their plight.

Worried that their way of life is under threat, they are also unconvinced by the assurances given that their communities won't be affected.

However, Kelantan Orang Asli Villages Coalition (JKOAK) chairperson Mustafa Along told Malaysiakini that the group was receptive to Deputy Rural Development Minister Abdul Rahman Mohamad’s statement that he was prepared to meet with residents to discuss the dissatisfaction of residents in Kampung Pos Tohoi, Pos Wias and Pos Pulat.

“JKOAK welcomes the Rural Development Ministry’s response to having a meeting to discuss the construction of the Nenggiri dam.

“JKOAK wishes to suggest the cancellation of the project because it will blatantly affect the lives of the Orang Asli community directly and indirectly.

“We request that the authorities find an alternative solution to handle issues such as drought, flooding and other relevant issues (faced by the community),” Mustafa said.

Deputy Rural Development Minister Abdul Rahman Mohamad

Mustafa added that the group was clear in its stance to cancel the project as it firmly believed that the dam would generate more negative impacts over positive ones, as seen in several other projects in the past such as the Ulu Jerai dam, Baram dam and Bakun dam projects.

On Wednesday, over 100 Orang Asli villagers from Kelantan from the Temiar tribe travelled to Putrajaya to protest the Nenggiri project in Gua Musang.

The group submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office stating that smaller dams should be built instead to resolve flooding and drought problems, which the Irrigation and Drainage Department had suggested.

The villagers raised concerns about their ancestral home, claiming the dam would submerge four Orang Asli settlements in the area - Pos Tohoi, Pos Pulat, Kampung Wias and Kampung Bering - as well as flood 5,384ha of forest land.

Insensitivity of Kelantan govt

Mustafa said they resorted to seeking intervention from Putrajaya due to the insensitivity of the Kelantan government in preserving the rights and welfare of the Orang Asli community.

“The state government’s insensitivity towards Orang Asli rights was clearly seen when it repeatedly denied the existence of customary land rights in Kelantan, and ignored the protests of the Orang Asli towards logging,” he added.

Following the villagers’ protest in Putrajaya, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) alleged that the project was in full compliance with the legal and regulatory requirements set by the authorities, including the Orang Asli Development Department, and the Wildlife and National Parks Department.

It also alleged that it had engaged with the Orang Asli and other communities on numerous occasions, assuring that it would continue to take steps to address JKOAK’s concerns.

However, Mustafa said that they rejected TNB’s assurances, alleging that it was a repeated statement issued by the utility giant when building dams on Orang Asli cultural land.

“If we look at the history, we have seen no proper defence given to the Orang Asli and Asal communities involved in the project.

“This has happened many times, so how can we trust the sincerity of TNB on the matter?” he questioned. - Mkini