A PLANTER based in Kelantan has named those behind the destruction of a blockade in Gua Musang last Saturday, which had been the scene of tense confrontations between planters and local Orang Asli.

The men who demolished the blockade depended on the pineapple and latex harvest from farms in the Balah jungle, said a spokesman for two of the plantation firms.

Hanif Abdul Kudus said these men are from the Kuala Betis area and employed as ad hoc workers in the plantations.

Hanif is spokesman for both KPG Maju Entreprises Sdn Bhd and Fleet Precision Sdn Bhd. Both firms own a total of 2,020ha of agricultural land near Balah, most of which is used to plant rubber trees.

The men who demolished the blockade are not directly employed by the two companies but maintain and harvest their crops, such as pineapples and latex, said Hanif.

“They would then sell their harvests back to the plantations for a profit,” Hanif told The Malaysian Insight.

The Kaleeg blockade disrupted their work as it blocked the sole access road from Kuala Betis to the plantations.

“Their incomes have been affected because they could not go into the plantations to harvest. That’s why they acted desperately and destroyed the blockade.

“The blockade is illegal in the first place as it is a public road. They were blocking locals from going to work. The blockade should have been brought down by the authorities in the first place.

“Our plantations have state government approval and support from the Orang Asli leaders.”

On Saturday, a group of chainsaw-wielding men destroyed the blockade, two days after Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Sivarasa Rasiah’s visit.

The blockade was put up by activists of the Temiar tribe of Pos Tohoi and Simpor against both planters and loggers to prevent what they said was further destruction of their customary land.

Hanif said the companies neither directed nor sanctioned the attack.

“When people don’t have enough to feed their families, what do you expect them to do? The blockade created tension and conflict.”

Hanif said there had been two previous blockades on the same road in 2012 and 2016 but they never stopped people or vehicles linked to the planters.

“It’s because we had the support of the chiefs of the community that we were let through. The chiefs signed letters of support for our plantations.

“That’s why they didn’t come out to block us. So, we were shocked when this blockade also targeted us.”

Hanif questioned the legitimacy of the Temiar activists behind the blockade, saying that they did not represent the whole tribe living near the plantations.

There are about six main Temiar kampung lying on the main road from Kuala Betis to the plantations. Hanif said he has the support from five chiefs when he first began operations in 2010.

“I don’t know where these activists came from but I have gotten support from the village chiefs who, I believe, are the real representatives of these villages.”

In a letter sighted by The Malaysian Insight, tribal chiefs Seman Senaweng, Gorbon Garyon, Abong Lehya, Rahmat Abdullah and Anjang Akad said they supported the operations of Fleet Precision Sdn Bhd.

Hanif said he was also a spokesman and consultant for Fleet Precision, which also owns several plantations.  

He added that the was willing to work with Sivarasa and the Kelantan government to resolve the conflict between the plantations and the Orang Asli.

“Sivarasa has good intentions. He wants to find an amicable solution to the issue. I am also willing to work with them to see whether we can provide roaming land for the Orang Asli and to create new economic activities for them.” – August 7, 2018.