7,000ha of Tasik Bera forest reserve ‘illegally cleared’

 The Pahang state enforcement unit said the Orang Asli community had been duped and the land had been cleared to plant commercial crops such as oil palm and rubber.

A view of the wetlands at Tasik Bera, the largest freshwater swamp-lake system in Malaysia, which is surrounded by forests and agricultural land traditionally cultivated by the Semelai Orang Asli. (Tourism Pahang pic)

KUANTAN:

More than 7,000 hectares of the Tasik Bera permanent forest reserve is believed to have been illegally cleared for planting commercial crops such as oil palm and rubber, the state enforcement unit said today.

Its chief, Saifullah Muhammad Ali, said the land clearing, which amounts to a total area of 70 sq km, was discovered during integrated operations carried out since Sept 14, with the help of the state forestry department, wildlife and national parks department and police.

Saifullah said illegal syndicates from outside Pahang were suspected of manipulating the Orang Asli to clear large tracts of land under the guise of claiming customary land and roaming areas for the community. Some areas had only about six Orang Asli houses, yet the land clearing covered up to 404 hectares (4 sq km).

On Sept 15, police arrested a man and four women, aged between their 30s and 60s, for allegedly obstructing enforcement officers during an operation at the Tasek Bera conservation forest reserve.

Bera police chief Zulkiflee Nazir said that while the enforcement agencies were conducting their operations, a group of people was found setting up barricades and provoking enforcement officers while carrying out their duties. - FMT