SPECIAL REPORT In September, the road leading into the Balah Permanent Forest Reserve in Gua Musang, Kelantan, become the subject of national headlines, after a group of Orang Asli from the Temiar tribe erected a blockade.

This was meant to stop loggers from transporting logs out of the forests around Pos Tohol.

The blockade created a standoff between the Orang Asli and employees of the company licensed to extract timber from the area, leading to attempts by the loggers to destroy the barricade.

However after one month, the barricade still stands, with the area that was once only populated by a handful of Orang Asli being turned into an makeshift village with more than 200 inhabitants.

While there used to be several huts in the area, it now boasts nearly 20 units, with volunteers from surrounding Orang Asli villages using it as their temporary abode when taking turns to man the now reinforced barricade.

A red-and-white painted guard post, complete with a boom gate, was also erected to regulate vehicular traffic.

Those wanting to enter Pos Tohol must alight from their vehicles at the guard post situated at the Kampung Petei intersection, and register their names in a log book.