Thirteen Orang Asli from the Temiar community in Gua Musang have been arrested after they attempted to set up a blockade to prevent loggers from entering their villages.

Lawyer Siti Kassim, who had attempted to intervene on behalf of the Orang Asli, was also arrested.

When contacted, fellow lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri said Siti has informed her that all were taken to Gua Musang district police headquarters at around 5pm for their statements to be recorded.

kelantan temiar orang asli set road blockade 290112 3 “Siti had advised the Orang Asli on their legal right but the police accused her of instigating the protest,” she said.

All were released without charge late at 10.40pm.

The indigenous community around Gua Musang had decided to resume the blockade after their pleas to the Kelantan government fell on deaf ears.

“Soon after they took in the detainees, some members of the police force went about burning down the blockade (barrier and adjacent structures including resting areas),” said Colin Nicholas, coordinator of Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) in a statement.

“According to the remaining Temiar, the police continued to act in a high-handed way - apparently designed to instil fear in to the Orang Asli and to cow them.”

kelantan temiar orang asli set road blockade 290112 4 Nicholas said that the police have set up a road block on the road leading out from their area to Gua Musang (near the Cameron Highlands junction) to prevent the Temiars from going to the police station to show their support for those detained.

When contacted earlier, the community’s representative, Kamal Alek, said some 700 Orang Asli from 31 villages had converged to set up a blockade on the main road into Kampung Parit.

“The Gua Musang police have asked us to give more time for discussions, but if we keep waiting while the logging continues, what will be left of our village?” he said.

A stand-off occurred as some 20 police officers were stationed at the site where the Orang Asli had planned to set up the blockade.

‘Our interest were sacrificed’

NONE The first blockade began on Jan 4 but was abruptly aborted two days later after they were assured of a meeting with the state government within two weeks.

Kamal said that the logging operations have encroached into their agricultural land.

“The state government has given approval for the Ladang Rakyat programme without considering the local indigenous community.”

NONE The Ladang Rakyat programme was initiated by the PAS-ruled state government and is an agricultural project that would require clearing part of the jungle which the Orang Asli rely on for their livelihood.

This has angered the Orang Asli of the Gua Musang area, who claim that their ancestral land was being grabbed by the state and given to logging companies.

Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had said the lands belong to the state government as they have not been gazetted as an Orang Asli reserve.

‘Community map ignored’

However, Kamal said the Orang Asli there have been working to map out their community in the area but has not received any support from the state government.

“The more we work on our community map, the more they encourage logging.

kelantan temiar orang asli set road blockade 290112 2 “All we want is for the logging to stop and for these lands to be approved as our native customary land based on our community map,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gua Musang police chief DSP Aziz Hassan said the Orang Asli were detained around 5.30pm after negotiations between police and a few rally leaders failed.

"Other individuals left the scene after police arrested them and no other untoward incidents happened," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

He said police detained them for further investigation and they have been warned not to gather illegally as it was against the law.

While blockades are a common means for indigenous community to defend their lands against loggers in Sabah and Sarawak, this is believed to be the first of its kind in Peninsular Malaysia.

Photos courtesy of COAC