DEPUTY Minister Sivarasa Rasiah has questioned the sincerity of plantation companies in seeking a peaceful resolution to a row with Orang Asli in Gua Musang, after the latter’s blockade was destroyed by a group of men on Saturday.

Sivarasa, who is the rural and regional development deputy minister, said he presumed it was the planters who had organised the attack on the Kaleg blockade as no one else had a motive do to so.

For several months, Orang Asli activists at the blockade near Pos Tohoi, Gua Musang had stopped loggers and planters from going to their work sites that they claimed were on the community’s customary land.    

On Saturday a group of chainsaw-wielding men had driven their pick-up vehicles through the blockade and destroyed it. The men could be heard on a video released by activists that they were heading to the plantation.  

Sivarasa said the attack occurred a day after the companies visited his ministry to asked for help to get their workers access to their plantations.   

The minister said he had forwarded the request to the Orang Asli manning the blockade and the activists said they were prepared to consider it.

“I am shocked by the violent and unnecessary attack on the peaceful blockade. It was fortunate the Orang Asli did not resist and no physical injuries or loss of life occurred.

 “I am surprised by the sudden attack as two of these companies had delivered letters to my office in Putrajaya on Friday seeking my assistance,” Sivarasa said in a statement.

The letters were sent a day after Sivarasa visited the Kaleg and Cawas blockades in Gua Musang and met with the Orang Asli activists.   

“The sincerity of these letters sent by the plantation companies Fleet Precision sdn bhd and KPG Maju Enterprise Sdn Bhd is obviously now questionable, looking at what happened yesterday.”

The Orang Asli have lodged reports over the attack.

Sivarasa said he would continue to engage with all stakeholders to find an amicable solution to the conflict between the Orang Asli with claims to native customary land and the companies which have received the Kelantan government’s approval for projects on such land.

The minister had on August 2 said he would initiate talks with the Kelantan government on mapping out and gazetting Orang Asli claims to customary land in Gua Musang.

Activists have maintained a series of blockades for over five months against agri-businesses they claim are destroying forests which are their sources of food, clean water and an integral part of their identity. – August 6, 2018.