About 50 Orang Asli marched from Wisma Tani to the Forestry Department in Kuala Lumpur today to protest against logging activities in Gua Musang.

They came armed with a memorandum but were disallowed from entering the compound.

Joined by several NGOs and political parties, they waited outside the gates under the blazing sun, held up signs and chanted “Berhenti balak, tanah adat, hidup Orang Asli" (Stop logging, our rightful land, long live Orang Asli).

Several speakers spoke about the struggles the Orang Asli are facing due to Kelantan government’s decision to allow logging in the forests they live in.

“We are here to end the logging of forests in Kelantan, where we live. The logging has destroyed our rightful land, polluted our waters, ruined our grave sites, and depleted our natural resources,” said Azmin Badul, chairperson of Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (Joas).

Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) Orang Asli bureau chairperson Suresh Kumar read the memorandum in full, highlighting their demands to stop logging activities in Gua Musang and evacuate from the land they have lived in for generations.

The memorandum was signed by representatives from 24 different NGOs and political parties.

After about an hour standing at the entrance of the building, three representatives from the Forestry Department came out to meet them.

Forestry Department deputy director-general Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud accepted the memorandum as the protesters cheered.

Asked what action would the department take, he simply said he was in no position to comment.

Meanwhile, Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali said logging in Kelantan has only benefited the few, namely political leaders and the logging companies.

"Those who suffer are the Orang Asli in those areas. We support the Orang Asli’s effort and the situation is very gruesome. We ask the government to listen to them,” he said.

Syed Hassan also said that Perkasa will be holding a gathering at Pasir Mas railway station on Feb 17 to highlight the logging problems in Gua Musang.

Joas (Pahang) president Yusri Ahon said: "Mass logging isn’t just happening in Gua Musang, it happens all over the country.

"Gua Musang is a high profile case right now, and hopefully we can raise awareness to end logging of Orang Asli forests everywhere."