GUA MUSANG – The Orang Asli community of the Temiar tribe in Pos Balar, Pos Tohoi and Pos Gob are appealing to extreme sports aficionado involving convoys and four-wheel drive vehicles (4WD) to cease their activities ahead of the monsoon season.
Radi Uda, 51, from Kg Kajang said residents have problems moving around in their motorcycles because the roads are badly damaged caused by robust usage – especially by extreme sports lovers.
“The roads in our area are damaged. If the roads are exclusively used by us, they would not be damaged like now. They come with their 4WD vehicles just to play in the rain (extreme sports), (but) the village folks are the victims.
“From here to go out to Gua Musang takes almost 12 hours, from 8am to 7pm,” he told reporters when met here recently.
According to Radi, he once spent more than three hours just climbing up the muddied and hilly road that is only 100m away by motorcycle because the road is badly damaged due to heavy rain and as a result of the road being frequently passed by many extreme sports vehicles.
For Osman Anjang, 46, who is from Pos Balar, the activities carried out by extreme sports fans only bring hardship to those living in the rural area because the roads are not passable to carry out their chores or routine travel.
“I appeal to outsiders, don’t be so selfish. We are aware that they just want to have fun but we, who are living here, have to deal with the risks in cases of an emergency. Obviously, this is a big problem for us,” he said.
John Busu, 36, claimed that he had come across 4WD vehicles more than five times since last September.
“They (4WD) shouldn’t be allowed to be on the road. This road is for the use of villagers. This is the only road for us to go in and out to buy milk, rice, and baby disposable diapers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kelantan and Terengganu Orang Asli Development Department said in a statement that the road to Pos Gob is temporarily closed for repairs, upgrades and bridge construction.
According to the department, only motorcycles and 4WD users in cases of emergency are allowed to use the road that is temporarily closed for the time being starting from Pos Simpor junction to Pos Gob.
It also said the temporary closure is to make way for the contractor to carry out the project uninterrupted because it involves road maintenance and construction works and bridge construction that uses some heavy machinery. – Bernama, October 14, 2022
