Displaced once before, an Orang Asli pleads for Kuala Langat forest reserve

• UPDATED 6.30PM | Added response from Minister P Waythamoorthy and Gamuda Land.

The plan to develop KLIA and Putrajaya into modern world-class facilities was a landmark moment in Malaysia's development, but those who lived in the area for generations found themselves summarily displaced.

In the early 1990s, the rubber estate workers of Prang Besar were one such group who had to make way for Putrajaya, while the Orang Asli of Kampung Busut in Sepang was among those whose former homes were bulldozed so that KLIA could be constructed.

The displacement and relocation was a swift affair, and the Temuan villagers were required to uproot themselves to an area 40km away with the promise of a better life in a newly developed area.

Now talk of degazetting a huge 930-hectare swathe of the Kuala Langat Forest Reserve (North) has reawakened the fears of those forced to relocate - the reason being that Kampung Orang Asli Busut Baru is one of the villages that will be under threat.

Hardy Zakaria was 10 years old at the time and remembers the move well.

"My real hometown is Kampung Busut, Sepang but now it has become KLIA. The village that was there before was a traditional village," he told Malaysiakini.

"We lived there for hundreds of years, although we were temporarily relocated to settlements during the Japanese occupation in World War II. But that was our home. The resting place of our ancestors," added Hardy who has been a DJ with Radio Asyik since 2009.

Radio Asyik broadcasts in four Orang Asli languages - Jakun, Semai, Temiar and Temuan.

Hardy said that although saddened to leave the ancestral home, the Temuan villagers tried to be positive about their relocation to a new settlement in Bukit Cheeding in 1993.

"Everything happened in the blink of an eye with the rush for development. The village leaders at that time may have been trying hard, however many of us are dissatisfied because the promise of a new project complete with facilities is not a reality.

"Now 27 years later in Kampung Busut Baru, we are facing another problem. This area used to be densely forested, full of flora and fauna, but now it is getting less and less due to development.

"Furthermore, with those parties who want to apply for the development of the forest reserve, it is very disappointing," said Hardy.

The Selangor Forestry Department placed the notice of the proposed degazetting in major dailies on Feb 5 inviting stakeholders in the district to voice their objections to such proposals within a 30-day time frame.

This is in accordance with the Public Inquiry (Selangor) Rules 2014, as well as National Forestry Act (Adoption) Enactment 1985, which makes the exercise (placement of notice) compulsory before a forest reserve can be degazetted.

The Tanjung 12 district named in the notice includes seven villages gazetted in the Kuala Langat (North) Forest Reserve, namely Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Kempas, Bukit Cheeding, Bukit Kecil, Bukit Perah, Busut Baru, Tanjung Rabok and Bukit Kamandol.

It is part of a larger tract of land that has been gazetted as customary land since 1927.

Hardy says that Kampung Busut Baru has 85 families, and that is likely to increase given time. Its population of around 600 makes up a significant portion of an estimated 2,000 Temuans who live within the forest reserve.

He laments a lack of consideration by the authorities for the needs of his people.

"The growing development of areas occupied by Orang Asli is frustrating. We are indigenous peoples who still practice the culture of hunting, fishing and foraging for food."

Hardy cited the development of areas such as Damansara Perdana which was once land occupied by his people.

"They could have left us there and developed cottage industries through farming. But they do not understand or do not care about the living culture of Orang Asli.

"Our culture is not forgotten. A new generation may be modern, however, the culture is still alive.

"Even though our traditional area is already an airport, we still consider the area a sacred spot. In the process of moving to a new village, we pray for our departed souls to move together with us and keep us healthy and living in harmony," he added.

Now his people fear that history will repeat itself and they will be uprooted once again, victims of developers with no consideration for their needs.

Action taken

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy (photo) said he was not only aware of the matter, but claimed action has been taken.

However, the senator, whose national unity and social wellbeing portfolio also covers Orang Asli affairs through the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), said they had encountered “technical difficulties” in the case.

“The issue of overlapping land (with development plans and Orang Asli villages) is among Jakoa’s main focus.

“Jakoa has, in fact, since Sept 20, 2017, already applied for the area to be gazetted, but due to technical difficulties... we are still awaiting state government’s decision,” he said in a statement today.

He further informed that the area in contention identified in the Malaysiakini report involved roaming areas of four Orang Asli villages - Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Kecil, Bukit Cheeding, Busut Baru and Pulau Kempas - with a population of 1,049 villagers.

A central management meeting will be held with Jakoa upper management on Feb 17, to seek “the best solution”.

In a separate statement, management of property developer Gamuda Land stressed the company is not involved in the proposal to degazette Kuala Langat Forest Reserve as its project - the Gamuda Cove township - is not part of the reserve.

“We urge everyone to refrain from spreading unverified information,” the company said.

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