GERIK, July 23 — The Orang Asli from Kampung Ralak here are at their wits’ end over the logging activity which they say affects their livelihood and way of life.

The logging activity, which has been ongoing since 2012, had damaged the water quality of Sungai Jumheng, which is the main water source for the villagers.

The villagers also lost some of their fruit tree plantations and their ancestral burial ground were also believed to be bulldozed in the process.

The village head Abu Bakar Aluej, 33, said that they have staged protest twice in 2016 and 2017 to stop the logging, but their efforts have been futile. 

"We have submitted protest letters to the state government and responsible agencies such as the Hulu Perak district forestry office and the State Forestry Department, but we did not get any response from them.

"Last year, the logging was stopped for a while, but on June 22 last month we noticed that they have started it back,” he told reporters when met at the Tasik Banding jetty here.

Abu said that a meeting was held involving the village chiefs, police, logging company and the representatives from the forestry department on June 26 last month to discuss the matter.

"The logging company said they could not stop the work as they have invested a lot money on the project, while the forestry department claims that the project have got the approval from the state government,” he said.

Abu, who was appointed as the village head last month, said that there has not been a collective agreement from the villagers over the logging project.

"The logging company said that they have gotten the approval from the village heads from several villages here, but none of the village heads discuss about this matter to us or seek our permission,” he said.

Kampung Ralak, located about 35km southeast of Gerik, is one of 15 Orang Asli villages comprising about 5,000 people within a widely spread indigenous settlement known as RPS Pos Kemar.

The main water source of the Orang Asli in Kampung Ralak at RPS Pos Kemar is affected by constant logging activity. — Picture by Mohammad Fandi Along

The villagers here rely on the jungle for their livelihood. Plants are used for a variety of purposes, such as food, clothing, medicine and building materials, and some animals are hunted for their meat.

"Due to the logging, we have lost the materials to perform our traditional ritual ‘sewang’. We got the necessary material from the tree bark and other jungle plants.

"But the trees are cut down by the logging company and we could not perform the ritual anymore,” said Abu.

Kamal Abain, 36, a resident from the village said that the people were forced to drink murky water as the river is badly damaged by the logging.

"We don’t have pipe waters here. Our only source of drinking water is from the river.

"We have been drinking this dirty water since the logging have taken place. This has to be stopped immediately,” he said.

Kamal added that the villager’s fishing activity were also disrupted due to the land clearing.

"Fishes have either died or move to a different place due to the poor quality of the water,” he said.

Mohammad Fandi Along, together with Kamal Abain (right) showing the pictures of the trees cut down at Tasek Banding Jetty Grik. — Picture by Farhan Najib

Meanwhile, Mohammad Fandi Along, 42, from Kampung Katong said that the Orang Asli from the village will also be affected due to the logging.

"So far 10 out of 11 planned compartments of the jungle has been cleared. The last compartment is near to Kampung Katong, where the villager’s plantation and ancestral burial ground are located,” he said.

He also points out that the logging also affects the eco-system in Temmengor Lake as the polluted river water were channelled to the lake, which is home to some protected marine life.

Mohammad Fandi hopes that the responsible authorities and state government will look into this matter promptly and halt the logging activity.