Stop Invading Orang Asli Ancestral Land

The Gua Musang Orang Asli community urged the prime minister today to take action against companies operating on their ancestral land.

“We are being pressured by these companies who have insulted and disrespected us by calling us names such as ‘otak kura-kura’ (tortoise-brained) who have zero knowledge of the law.

“We want the government to find an immediate solution in regards to the recognition and protection of Orang Asli ancestral land,” Nur Mohd Syafiq Dendi Abdullah, Jaringan Orang Asli Kelantan youth chairman said when met outside the Prime Minister’s Office today.

He claimed the encroachment was done in a violent manner and without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) issued to the local indigenous community.

“As of now they have destroyed around 400 hectares of burial and hunting ground.”

“These companies claimed it was land owned by the government whereas we have been living on these plots of land since our ancestors’ time and we have our rights...therefore the memorandum is our last resort in defending Orang Asli rights,” he said.

Nur Mohd Syafiq Dendi said encroachment of their ancestral land has caused river pollution and affected their daily livelihood as the community depended on forest for survival.

“Our health is also affected because of the contaminated water supply and even now a disease has struck our crops such as tapioca and banana which caused them to wilt.”

“Wild animals have also begun to trespass into our villages because of the shrinking forest area,” he said.  

Political secretary to Dr Mahathir, Abu Bakar Yahya received the memorandum on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Asked whether the Orang Asli community will continue to protest the encroachment if no action was taken, Nur Mohd Syafiq Dendi asserted the community will continue to defend their ancestral lands by setting up more blockades.

He said the community had met with representatives from the Kelantan state government in July 2013, with the latter promising to look into the issue and bring it up at the State Assembly.

“Five years later, we still have not heard any follow-up measures taken by the state government which is why we began to set up the blockade in the first place since February this year as we have ran out of options,” he said.

A total of 220 Orang Asli from 17 villages were present at the memorandum submission.

The most recent Orang Asli blockade was set up by the Temiar community in Gua Musang, Kelantan, which was reportedly taken apart by a durian plantation company on Saturday.