THE authorities will not charge the three Orang Asli members of the Temiar tribe who were remanded by police earlier this week, according to their lawyer, Thiyagu Ganesan.

He said the investigating officer had yet to make any request to charge the three with any crime after they were arrested on Tuesday for attempting to stop the police from tearing down a blockade put up by villagers near the Ulu Chepam forest reserve in Perak.

“(There has been) no decision yet. I hope the authorities will use their discretion and take into account all factors in this situation.

“It is their right to defend their customary land and (they) acted to protect their rights,” he told The Malaysian Insight today.

The trio – Johari Aleuj, Pam Yeek dan Shukri Man – were released after their remand order expired this morning.

Gerik police chief Supt Ismail Che Isa told The Malaysian Insight that the case was being investigated under Section 341 of the Penal Code for wrongfully restraining others.

Ganesan said he would also appeal to the authorities to return four motorcycles seized during the operation to break up the blockade. – July 25, 2019.