Police, Perak Forestry Dept deny Orang Asli threatened over blockade
Police and the Perak Forestry Department have denied claims that the Orang Asli community in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik were threatened after setting up a blockade to fend of loggers.
Acting Perak police chief Razarudin Abd Husain @ Abd Rasid said that no threats were found to have been made after looking into reports lodged by both the Orang Asli and the logging company involved.
"I confirm that there is a report (by the Orang Asli), but there were no threats to kill them or harm them...
Police and the Perak Forestry Department have denied claims that the Orang Asli community in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik were threatened after setting up a blockade to fend of loggers.
Acting Perak police chief Razarudin Abd Husain @ Abd Rasid said that no threats were found to have been made after looking into reports lodged by both the Orang Asli and the logging company involved.
"I confirm that there is a report (by the Orang Asli), but there were no threats to kill them or harm them.
"(The loggers) said that if (the Orang Asli) did not let them through, they would find other options... maybe the Orang Asli believed this to means they would be killed," he told Malaysiakini.
According to Razarudin, this other option meant the loggers would find different means to remove the felled trees.
It was reported earlier today that the Orang Asli from Kampung Tasik Cunex had set up blockades to prevent loggers from encroaching onto their customary land.
A police report lodged by a tok batin (village chief) claimed that the villagers were subsequently met with threats from the logging company and the Perak Forestry Department.
Read more: Report: Orang Asli accuse Perak gov't of logging on native land
Razarudin said that the case will not be investigated further after taking a statement from the company, but added that police will ensure that the situation remains peaceful.
Allegation denied
Separately, Perak Forest Department director Mohamed Zin Yusop also denied that any threats were made, saying that an officer had merely met with the villagers to brief them on nearby logging activities.
"We strongly deny allegations that there were any threats to the Kampung Tasik Cunex Orang Asli throughout the briefing session.
"Throughout dealing with the community's rejections, the state Forestry Department has never made any threats or used force on anyone," he said in a statement today.
However, Zin said the department was willing to cooperate with police in any investigations.
He added that the logging activities near Kampung Tasik Cunex do not encroach onto customary land, and that any trees felled were in accordance to "selective logging" procedures – where only trees that have been tagged are cut down.
Zin also refuted claims that logging in the area is uncontrolled, pointing out that it is in accordance with the annual National Land Council ration that allows for 7,744ha to be felled each year.
Malaysiakini has contacted Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy, whose portfolio includes the Orang Asli Development Department.
An aide to Waythamoorthy said the minister is currently overseas, and will be alerted of the incident.
Last month, the Pakatan Harapan government announced that it was initiating legal proceedings on behalf of the Gua Musang Orang Asli against the Kelantan government.
Among others, attorney-general Tommy Thomas said the Kelantan government and its agencies had granted logging rights in Gua Musang to private companies without consulting the Temiar community or offering them compensation, and had caused irreparable damage.
Thomas said Putrajaya decided to sue Kelantan in recognition of the government's constitutional and legal duty to protect the Orang Asli and promote their wellbeing and advancement.
Never trust the forestry officials, they are highly corrupted and do not care for the Original people of Malaysia. Without the approval of the Orang Asli greedy timber dealers all out to rape our jungles. It is high time Malaysia stop all these nonsense. For raping the Prang Asli land any compensation given? The new PH government must promise not to rape our jungles. Temperatures are rising and soon there will jungle fires. Raqping nature we are going to suffer.
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