IPOH, Nov 16 — Villagers of Kampung Cenawing near Gerik said they will ignore authorities’ order to remove a blockade they erected to prevent logging by Sunday.
The villagers installed the blockade earlier this month after appeals to authorities to stop logging activities fell on deaf ears.
“The logging activities have destroyed our grazing area. They have also polluted our water source,” acting village Rozmi Palah said, claiming that as much as 80ha forest have been cleared.
“The loggers did not get the proper approvals from the relevant authorities before starting to clear our forest. Now we are facing the consequences,” he said, adding that the logging was contributing to flash floods.
He led a group of villagers to try and deliver a protest memorandum to state officials, but was snubbed and forced to leave the document at the mentri besar’s office.
Rozmi said they will not abide by the order to dismantle the blockade and will hold a sit-in protest on Sunday instead.
