Save our forests, Orang Asli demand of Ismail Sabri after fatal mauling of villager

KUALA LUMPUR – Members of the Gua Musang Orang Asli community have demanded solutions from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his administration to their problems in Kelantan – a call made louder by the recent fatal mauling of a villager at the claws of an adult tiger.

Calling themselves Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan (JKAOK), these community leaders are desperate for the government to implement effective measures to address their environmental concerns.

Yesterday, the group submitted a memorandum to Perdana Putra detailing how the recent tiger attack was the fourth incident in six years within their settlements involving wildlife, but the first in many years that ended with fatal consequences.

It detailed how problems arising from threats of wildlife in close proximity were not new to them, but were rather consequences of surrounding overdevelopment and logging being carried out within the Perias Forest Reserve in Kelantan.

Pos Ber village chief Nasir Dollah, 32, lamented how it was no fault of the wild animals that they ended up roaming closer to the Orang Asli settlements, saying it was caused by the overdevelopment encroaching into the forest there.

“We received information that the tiger was sighted near the Pos Bala and Pos Tohoi settlements, which is very close to many of where the villagers are.

“This is an effect of excessive logging, mining, and turning land here into large-scale farms, to the point that these wild animals can no longer hunt as they have lost their natural habitats, and are forced to hunt in new areas near our settlements.

“Unknowingly, we could end up being the victims for whatever reason if we come across these wild animals,” he said.

Speaking on the recent fatal mauling, Pos Simpor village chief Nor Mohd Shafiq Dendi Abdullah, 30, said it had caused villagers to fear their own surroundings, a sad fact for a community that has existed within Kelantan’s interior for decades.

He stressed that Putrajaya must take action and overcome their problem seeing that the villagers are now hesitant to leave their homes for work or to work their crops – leaving many hungry and unable to look for food.

Apparently, the villagers have sighted at least another two to three tigers roaming the area, and they fear falling victim.

However, even though they fear for their lives, the Orang Asli community still slammed the Wildlife and National Parks Department rangers who shot the wild cat to death when they came face to face with it.

Stop overdevelopment

Their other demands in the memorandum include calls for thorough investigations to be conducted into the fatal mauling of the villager, in particular the inefficient procedures employed by the rangers.

They also warned that at least three more tigers have been sighted wandering around their settlements.

The lackadaisical reaction from the authorities gives the impression that the presence of three tigers is no major threat, as though the safety and lives of the Orang Asli community are not important,” read the memorandum.

The JKAOK representatives also revealed threats from other wildlife, including sun bears and elephants, which though are not as feared as tigers, still pose a danger to their safety.

Dendi said the overdevelopment has driven elephants closer to their settlements, trampling and destroying their crops, and caused sun bears to also roam nearby in search for food.

“We constantly feel uneasy at night as we can hear the elephants or other wildlife roaming around. We tried to distract them by starting bonfires or by making noise, and it used to work.

“Last time, they would run away, but now they don’t seem to be bothered by it and in fact become more aggressive. These are our major problems and yet no one wants to listen to us,” he lamented.

Listing their other demands, JKOAK’s memorandum seeks for Putrajaya to discuss the matter with Kota Baru and ensure that no more plots are gazetted for logging purposes as this will address the core problem, which is encroachment.

They proposed a higher oil royalty premium to be paid to the PAS-led Kelantan state administration.

It seems that PAS is holding the environment, nature, and the well-being of the Orang Asli hostage, with their claim that Kota Baru will only stop logging activities once their oil royalty demands are met.

“Among the initiatives we can suggest is for higher premiums of oil royalty to be paid to the Kelantan government, as the state government has itself told us it will stop the logging when the oil royalties are given,” read the memorandum.

JKAOK are also calling for the mega hydroelectric dam planned along Sg Nenggiri to be cancelled, as the planned construction affects areas that have been historical Orang Asli settlement grounds rich in flora and fauna.

It stressed that should the mega project be given the go-ahead, the shrinking forest available for the wildlife in the area would be diminished further, exacerbating their ongoing struggles with wildlife sightings.

Nasir added that governments, both federal and state, will lose the support of the Orang Asli community in the upcoming elections if these issues are not addressed.

“Wait for GE15. If these issues are not addressed yet, don’t dream of getting the votes of the Orang Asli. Don’t come looking for us. When we have a big issue, no one wants to come and help us overcome it.

I am serious when I say this, as the Orang Asli community respects the government, but we will not support and respect a government that does not respect the rights of the Orang Asli,” he added.

Lawyer Siti Kasim, who was present alongside JKAOK, said they have given the Prime Minister’s Office 14 days to issue an official reply to the Orang Asli’s demands.

“We hope to hear from them (PMO) as soon as possible, so if they don’t respond, we will make more noise; we will probably bring the family of the person that was killed by the tiger for them to come up publicly to say something.

“This is because nobody understands the loss of a head of their family; we need to show them these are people as well, human beings with feelings and not just anybody to be sidelined,” Siti said. – The Vibes, January 12, 2022