THE Orang Asli community in Nenggiri, Kelantan plans to use the upcoming by-election to seek action against rampant land clearing for development in their area, which sits in Gua Musang.

They said the constant development has seen their quality of life eroding over the past decade.

From frequent wildlife encroachment into their villages at the tough terrain foothills of Lojing to contaminated water resources and destroyed vegetable plots as well as flash flooding coupled with rampant mudslides, the community is upset with their sorry plight.

Two representatives of the native community sat down with The Malaysian Insight recently to highlight their plight and discuss how the community aims to seek a political recourse.

The by-election, set to be held on August 17, is likely to see Barisan Nasional take on Perikatan Nasional, which rules the state.

Nor Mohd Syafiq Dendi Abdullah, the Orang Asli network head from Pos Simpor, and Jimi Aufah from Kuala Wok shared a tale of despair and utter anger towards the local authorities’ inability to curtail the rampant land clearing.

In Gua Musang, especially at the large tracts of the Lojing Highlands, land clearing is done for commercial planting of rubber trees to oil palm and greens, as well as smallholding plots of smaller commercial plants to logging and housing.

Dendi said that the prime culprit is logging, as contractors use the guise of development for commercial planting to bulldoze the area to fell trees, which are in turn ferried away for exports.

The outcome is the reduction of forest cover, causing wildlife like elephants, tigers, monkeys and other creatures to invade the Orang Asli settlements to seek food and, in some instances, attack the inhabitants there, said Dendi.

Complaints to the Orang Asli Development Department, forest rangers, police, the Gua Musang district council, elected representatives and political parties have all fallen on deaf ears, claimed Dendi.

He is aghast, claiming that despite the loud noises arising from land clearing, the authorities are apparently not doing anything.

“My mother didn’t sleep on Sunday because the giant elephants decided to sleep next to our house. She is terrified and so are the rest of my community,” said Dendi.

Tigers were spotted roaming in the neighbourhood too, unnerving the villagers, who hunt and fish for their survival, said Dendi.

With siltation seeping into the freshwater springs and rivers, the water is totally polluted and undrinkable, he added.

“We are forced to use mineral water for cooking and consumption. We cannot bathe in the streams due to the pollution. Our rights are totally ignored and it has eroded over the past decade when the state allowed for development here,” said Dendi.

Running out of patience

Jimi, meanwhile, said that the community’s patience is thinning because the problems of encroachment and pollution have been around for the past decade.

“We may take out our anger at the ballot boxes. Whoever can promise us a permanent solution and uphold our way of life may get our support.”

There are about 2,700 registered Orang Asli voters in Nenggiri, which is located some 250km from Kota Baru, Kelantan’s capital and commercial hub.

The state has approved the construction of the Nenggiri hydropower dam, which is under Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

Construction began in 2022 and a segment of the Orang Asli at Pos Bulat would need to be relocated even deeper into the forestry areas here.

Veteran politician Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah said that the Orang Asli may yet be a “kingmaker” in the by-election since the Malay community is closely divided between Bersatu, a federal opposition party, and the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition.

The Orang Asli hailed from the six villages in the area, he noted.

“It is time for the relevant authorities to take heed of what the native community is complaining about and to do the necessary to address their plight.”

The Election Commission has set the Nenggiri by-election for August 17, with nomination and early voting scheduled for August 3 and 13, respectively.

The voter composition in Nenggiri is Malays (85.93%), Orang Asal (13.84%), Chinese (0.20%) and Indians (0.03%).

Umno has named its candidate, Kelantan Umno Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, a local resident in Gua Musang.

Bersatu is reportedly mulling fielding either former Gua Musang Umno Youth chief Sheikh Razali Hamad or Kelantan government officer Sun Najaman Muhamad.

The by-election was called after the Kelantan assembly declared vacant the seat of incumbent Mohd Azizi Abu Naim. – July 28, 2024.