Landslides, mud flows destroying Orang Asli villages in Lojing, Kelantan

GUA MUSANG: In the last three months, frequent landslides and mud flows were reported to be a growing threat to more than 300 Orang Asli from 120 families in Kampung Sang Wai, located in the Lojing Highlands area, here.
Kelantan Orang Asli chief penghulu, Bidi Ronggeng, said the landslide incidents had been occurring since the hill area, situated about 100m from their village, was being cleared by a company to make way for vegetable farming.
"The latest landslide occurred three days ago and the flow of water from Sungai Belatop has been affected by the heaps of earth," he said when met by reporters at the village, today.
According to him, apart from Kampung Sang Wai, several other Orang Asli villages in Lojing and Pos Brooke were also affected by tree-felling activities and settlements were being destroyed by mud floods, especially at Kampung Jedip, here.
Meanwhile, an Orang Asli resident, Kamarudin Uda, 43, said the Orang Asli community were tired of lodging complaints with the Kelantan government as no action had been taken.
"Once again we appeal to all parties to have some sympathy for the Orang Asli community and to stop clearing the hill," he said.
Galas assemblyman Ab Aziz Yusof, when met, said the state government should put a stop to the land clearing activities at Lojing Highlands, as the deforestation for farmland was getting out of control. — Bernama