The police arrested 14 villagers when they tried to obstruct a logging company from carrying out its work o­n their ancestral land in Pahang today.

The men, aged between 23 and 40, of the Temuan community from Kampung Sungai Miak are being held at the Bentong district police headquarters and are expected to be taken to the magistrate's court tomorrow to be remanded.

When contacted, Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Association (POASM) Majid Suhut said he did not know why the men were arrested since the company had agreed to stop work pending negotiations.

He added that he was told that the 14 had been taken in to have their statements recorded.

A press statement issued by the Centre For Orang Asli Concerns quoted Bentong police chief Mohd Nor Hashim as saying that the men would be remanded for a few days so that their statements can be recorded under Section 113 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Stop work agreement

Majid, who was upset by the arrest, said villagers had protested against the logging works because they have yet to obtain a guarantee from the company that they would not pollute the area, which houses the villagers' water source.

"They also needed assurance from the company that it would not cut the trees in their dusun saka (inherited fruit orchard) which is situated in the area. Furthermore the dispute o­n the logging compensation has yet to be settled," he added.

Majid said he was also puzzled by the presence of the police and the Mentakab-based company at the area this morning as there was an understanding that logging works would stop for the next few days.

"We had a meeting yesterday where Ketari assemblyman Yum Ah Ha acted as the middleman between the villagers and the company.

"The police were also there. When the company could not confirm that they could deliver the Orang Asli's demands, all had agreed that logging works would stop for a few days."

Therefore, Majid said, when the workers came to carry out logging activities accompanied by police personnel, the villagers began to protest.

He also expressed hope that those detained would be released tomorrow since there was no reason to detain them any longer and added that the 14 would have no qualms about having their statements recorded.

When contacted later, lawyer Shamsul Rizal of the Legal Aid Centre, who represents the villagers, was also puzzled by the arrest.

Attempts to obtain comments or a confirmation from the Bentong district police headquarters proved futile.