IF the voice of the Orang Asli is not heard, then the ecosystem in Ulu Geroh and Ulu Gerentum in Gopeng, Perak, will likely collapse, said an environmentalist.  

Monash University Ecological and Ethnozoology head of department Cyren Wong Zhi Hoong told The Malaysian Insight it is crucial that the state government pay attention to the ecosystem in the area.

“The Pakatan Harapan government just needs to listen to them (Orang Asli). While they fought hard to win the state in (the) last general election, but I feel they’re not listening enough.

“They have to step up to what they have promised and be more open to the idea of engaging more with the OA,” Wong told The Malaysian Insight.

Ulu Geroh is home to two national icons – the Rafflesia, one of the world’s rarest flowers, and the Rajah Brooke butterflies.

“There used to be a lot of Raffelsia at Ulu Gerentum and Ulu Geroh but not any more because of the high level of disturbance which is caused by human activity.

“It’s not so much deforestation, but also small-scale land clearing for tourism, such as building of roads.

“The environment is definitely getting worse based on my observations and has become the concern of the community here.”

Jungles no longer source of sustenance

Wong lived in Ulu Geroh from 2013 to 2015 when he was doing his doctorate and has first-hand experience of the Orang Asli way of life.  

“The topic I was focusing then was how we can work more closely with the indigenous communities to preserve their environment and protect the endangered species, such as the Raffelesia and Rajah Brooke butterfly.

“Back when I was living here, it was quite common to see people going out hunting at night when the tourist season was low.  

“Even the men who work out of the village. They don’t hold full-time jobs. So, when they don’t have much money to buy food, they go hunting.

“Recently, we went back in 2019 and 2020 to see them. They said there is so much disturbance now that all the animals have left.”

The Orang Asli are also complaining about declining durian harvests.

“The main pollinators for the durian are the bats that live in the limestone caves which are being blown up for cement and marble

“All of these things have a cascading effect on the OA. If they don’t get to harvest durian, then it is one less food source and income. I foresee potentially an ecosystem collapse. We are already seeing it.”

In terms of encroachment, he said, it is slower in Ulu Geroh than some other places. The situation is not so dire as some other places like the east coast but gradually getting there.

“One of the things I noticed was that on the way into the settlement from Gopeng, there are more bare patches of land where forest has been cleared and more signs ‘land for sale’.

“These were not there when I left five years ago. I’m afraid that there is going to be overdevelopment in the area.”

Mini hydro project

In the neighbouring village, the Semai tribe at Ulu Geruntum are protesting against a mini hydro project allegedly being built on their ancestral land.

They want the contractors to stop all work on ancestral land until a court decides on the case next month.

As for the hydro project, Wong said while there is a need for cleaner energy, some of it is done for profit and uncontrolled.

“While the dams are a very sustainable form of energy but at the same time, when we talk about sustainable development, we have to think not only of the social needs of the majority, but the minority groups living here.

“One way forward is to understand the needs of the locals instead of bulldozing the project through.”

Wong said the Orang Asli claimed that it’s mostly because of logging in the area and that dynamites are used to blow up the rocks at the hydro dam.

“They drill holes in the huge boulders in the river and stick the dynamite in to blow them up. It creates a loud noise and scatters debris everywhere, it also scares off the animals.

“They claimed it happened late last year. Even activities that are happening several kilometres away from here can have a cascading affect that can affect species and other organisms living in the jungle.”

The approach to conservation should be more holistic and more attention should be paid to the Orang Asli, he said.

“Many people have very little knowledge of what they do and who they are.  

“The pressure on elected officials is less, because people don’t raise these issues or talk about them.  

“We can all do better for the OA, especially the elected officials because they are in that position and they have the power and the resources to make things happen,” Wong added. – February 23, 2020.