THREE Temiar Orang Asli have been arrested after police today demolished the tribe’s blocade in Kg Sg Papan in Perak.

Orang Asli spokesman Ajang Aleuj said the three were detained at 10am.

“We are not sure but they may have been taken to the Gerik police station.

“The police did not say anything. They just dragged away anyone who stood in their way,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The Temiar Orang Asli have put up the blockade since Monday to stop loggers from going into what they claimed is their ancestral land.

Ajang said since April loggers have demolished four of their blockades.

On Thursday, the loggers had attempted to bring down the Temiar’s latest blockade but failed to do so following a discussion with the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

The Temiar people in the area say their ancestral land now known as Kg Ong Kansel that spans 6,8097ha has been subject to logging without their permission.

A meeting was held last Friday with the Perak Forestry Department but the authorities merely said the loggers have the permits required to fell trees in the area.

“So, we asked that they show the permits to us. They said such documents were government secrets,” Ajang said.

Gerik police chief Supt Ismail Che Isa confirmed the arrests to The Malaysian Insight.

“After their statements are taken at the police station, they are free to go,” he said. – July 20, 2019.