The Orang Asli of Gua Musang intend to rebuild their anti-logging blockades at the Balah Forest Reserve this weekend, less than a fortnight after its destruction by the state Forestry Department on Nov 29, which also saw more than 50 of them arrested.

The Temiar community have started collecting materials such as bamboo, wood and rattan to set up barriers on the logging trail, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan (JKOAK) chairperson Azmi Badun said.

Azmi said they would build seven blockades, instead of just the three before, including at the road leading to Pos Balar and Pos Hau.

The blockades were first set up by the Orang Asli in September to stop logging in the forest reserve, which they said was destroying their resources and water source.

"We have discussed this among the Orang Asli community and have agreed to rebuild the broken down barriers and add more blockades.

"We are not fearful as we are not doing anything criminal. We are just protecting our rights," Azmi told Malaysiakini after submitting a complaint on the arrests at the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission in Putrajaya.

The arrests prompted outcries against the PAS-led Kelantan government, but Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said it left all decisions on the blockades to the state Forestry Department.

Blockades impeding permitted logging

The Forestry Department said the blockades were impeding permitted logging in the area and obstructing the department's officers from doing their duty.

The department said by putting up the blockades in September, the Orang Asli community breached the June agreement it had with a representative of the Menteri Besar's office. The community had then dismantled a blockade set up in March, the department said.

Urging respect of the law, the department said "activities to appeal and plead" with the community have taken place, but to no avail.

In its reporting on the blockade, PAS' mouthpiece Harakah said the Orang Asli arrested were not from Kelantan.

However, only five of those arrested had identity cards that showed they were born in Perak and Selangor, while the rest were Kelantan-born.

"That claim is not true. Those arrested are true Gua Musang Orang Asli. No one from elsewhere, only from Kelantan.

"Even if there were Orang Asli from elsewhere, they were here to show support for us in protecting our rights and we did not stop them. They are also Orang Asli," Azmi said.

He also said the state government made no attempt to meet with the community on their demands.

"Among our demands is for the state to acknowlege Orang Asli rights and respect our customs," Azmi said.

He said the Orang Asli were at the State Secretariat building in Kota Baru on Nov 2 for a promised meeting with the deputy menteri besar.

"Instead, there was no meeting and our blockades were destroyed," Azmi said. "Our ancestors lived in this land and forest. We are not defending foreign land."

All 54 arrested at the blocakdes in Pos Petei and Pos Bihai were released without being charged with any offence.

A total of 47 of them were held overnight, after the Forestry Department obtained a remand order against them.