© Perak Speak (Used by permission)
Earlier this year we drove up the long and winding road from Cameron Highlands to Kelantan to look into the many complaints brought about by the Orang Asli people living there. These grueling trips consist of many unsavory journeys on rutted tracks and hair–pin turns and hours spent under an unforgiving sun.
When we visited Kampong Bahong, Lojing in 2007, we found the remnants of an enthralling landscape of sun–baked mountains, shady ravines and shimmering water falls. This village has a bird’s–eye view of some of the country’s most pristine and striking landscapes. We’d driven this section of road several times. Frilling green ferns of the mountain waved as we passed each time. Sadly, it’s no longer the same today. The entire village of 10 families had been stripped of its vegetation due to logging and commercial farming activities. Loose soil on the top of the hill where a landslide occurred recently has yet to be cleared, posing a danger should there be another heavy downpour.
When we arrived in Kampung Segar in the morning, the villagers ushered Augustine Anthony and I into their Rumah Adat. As we entered the bamboo hut crammed with low beams, Tok Batin Jambu Bin Limus and his brother Harun Bin Limus greeted us in the traditional Orang Asli hospitality.
According to Jambu, their village and the area around their sacred ancestral burial ground have been earmarked for cultivation by the Kelantan Government. Of late their ancestral burial grounds in Kampong Segar have been flattened (destroyed is a better word) without their knowledge and the remains scattered all over the site. “We can no longer take this kind of humiliation as this involves our adat” cautioned Jambu . “All along it has been the living who are subject to misery and turmoil, but now even the dead cannot rest in peace” he lamented as he wiped his tears
According to Jambu, the land near their sacred burial grounds had been cleared without his knowledge. Upon questioning the contractor responsible for the land clearance, an officer from the company was later deployed to discuss the matter with him.
Jambu informed the officer that there are 30 graves in that area and even personally showed the graves to him. The said officer then diligently charted the graves and left. Jambu thought everything would be fine hence forth, but alas to everyone’s horror, 18 graves were totally destroyed in the process of land–clearing. The villagers were totally devastated by such an irresponsible act. Jambu and the villagers managed to salvage the remaining 12 graves by placing plastic sheets over them.
We were later taken to the burial site and were led into a swampy area traversed by flimsy walkways. Piles of rotting garbage greeted us and the stench was almost overpowering. Using soggy discarded plastic bags as stepping stones, we walked headed towards their sacred area. There they were in a rather pathetic state…18 graves no longer exist. Beside tons of freshly dug soil lay by the salvaged 12 graves which bore reminiscences of who is buried underneath by the deceased favorite items placed over them. I was taken aback on seeing one such grave which had a feeding bottle, some toys and a pair of tiny slippers on top of it.
As always when we meet the Orang Asli communities who had called on us for assistance, we will usually, diligently listen to all their grouses. There upon we will offer the basic advice including legal advice (if necessary) in simple easy to understand manner. Instead of doing everything for them, we will usually guide them into taking a series of action that empower them to face the challenges that confront them. At the same time we will periodically monitor and check on their progress. In the present case, as usual we have advised them on the necessary steps to be taken and we shall monitor the situation from time to time.
As we left, Jambu whispered farewell to his dead ancestors and asked for their protection.
As the dark clouds gathered above us, we decided to head back as we did not wish to be in the News since we are there smacked right during the yearly landslide period. But alas, I could not explain whether tired because of the journey or whether having forgotten himself while taking pictures in the jungle, Augustine dropped a bombshell when he said that he had lost his car keys in the jungle path. Looking at the surroundings, it was almost an impossible task to search for the key in those thick shrubs and bushes and piles of rubbish. Smacked in a place where there is no chance of help arriving to take us back to Perak, we expected only a miracle to happen and it did happen. One Orang Asli had dug deep into the pile of rubbish and had found the keys. And with a broad smile on his face Augustine snapped his fingers and said loudly “I told you that the Orang Asli are the finest trekkers in the jungle…… they can even find a needle in a haystack and yet some call them stupid”
Covering 3 States, i.e. having coffee in Perak, lunch in Pahang and working in Kelantan all within a day and activities as such, have since become our routine.
Click here to view Picture Gallery: Temiar fight to preserve their sacred burial grounds.
(M. Gokoolaram Naidu, is the Executive Officer of Perak Legal Aid Centre & Human Rights Committee)