A senior PAS leader has expressed readiness to personally discuss issues surrounding the Kelantan government’s alleged persecution of the anti-logging Orang Asli group in Gua Musang.

PAS central committee member Zuhdi Marzuki made the offer to a group of some 30 activists gathered outside the party's headquarters on Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Asked for his immediate reaction to the actions of Kelantan state Forestry Department officers, Zuhdi said he was not aware of the situation.

“We have not received any information.

“We have yet to be informed by the Kelantan state government,” he said.

However, Zuhdi gave his assurance to activists that he is personally ready to have a discussion on the issues raised.

“I am ready to have a dialogue,” said Zuhdi, who inquired whether the group had any memorandum to submit to the central PAS leaders.

“We are ready to listen. Our principle in the party, the (central) leadership is in charge of the state (leaders).

“If there is any dissatisfaction with the PAS-led Kelantan state government, we are ready to listen to whatever is being raised by the people who felt oppressed.

“Submit it (a memorandum). If we see it is true there have been oppression (of the Orang Asli), we will advise the Kelantan government,” Zuhdi added.

The group, led by PSM Youth central committee member Sharan Raj, had gathered and took turns to highlight their message of solidarity and the importance of preserving gazetted forest areas from commercial loggers.

They demanded an immediate release of all the Orang Asli arrested and for the PAS-led state government to resume negotiations on the rights of the Orang Asli to the forest areas.

On one of the banners held up was showed the caricature of a robed man holding a chainsaw with the message ‘Membalak Bersama Ulamak’ - a not so subtle swipe at the Kelantan PAS leaders accused of compromising the rights of Orang Asli for commercial purposes.

PAS reminded of sin, hypocrisy

Earlier, an activist, who introduced himself as Zikri, reminded PAS clerics of the sins of destroying the forest and hypocrisy.

“If we remain silent, we are no longer humans because humans are one with nature. If we betray nature, that is the biggest sin.

“If we can show sympathy with the people in Palestine and the Rohingyas fighting for their land, if we do not feel the same about the Orang Asli, isn’t that the biggest hypocrisy?” Zikri asked.

A total of 47 Orang Asli activists have been remanded for investigations into their anti-logging blockade in the interiors of Gua Musang, Kelantan.

It was reported that 17 of them were slapped with three-day remand orders yesterday, while the others were remanded for two days.

The group, aged 18 to 40, were arrested after police and the Forestry Department destroyed their blockades at Pos Petei and Pos Bihai on Tuesday afternoon.

The Orang Asli had set up the blockades since September to stop logging at the Balah forest reserve.