KELANTAN: The Orang Asli community in Gua Musang, Kelantan is facing severe challenges due to the monsoon season.
Their situation has been made worse by extreme sports activities involving 4x4 vehicles during the current monsoon season, which started in October and will continue until January.
Pos Balar village resident Kamal Alek, 37, said the activities are exacerbating the condition of the damaged roads.
“The 4x4 activities also disrupt our daily lives, and pose significant risks to our safety and access to other destinations.
“These roads are vital for the Orang Asli to travel to nearby towns and Kota Bharu for food supplies, medical care and education. However, heavy rains make our main dirt roads nearly impossible to use,” he said.
Kamal told theSun that even though the Orang Asli Development Department had repaired the main road, it is still very difficult for vehicles to pass through because of the muddy and slippery condition.
He said deliveries of essential supplies such as food are often delayed as the road becomes almost impassable.
“This situation also makes it difficult for teachers to travel to Sekolah Kebangsaan Balar, while the Health Ministry mobile clinic faces challenges in reaching the village to provide essential medical services.
“To add to the problems, Pos Balar villagers face constant danger from wild animals, especially elephants, which often destroy crops, making life even harder for them.”
Kamal said several other villages such as Kampung Pos Gob, Kampung Pos Belatim, Kampung Pos Bihai, Kampung Pos Bahar, and Kampung Pos Simpor are still using log roads for access.
He said while the Orang Asli Development Department and the Kelantan state assemblymen have supported the community, no long-term solutions have been implemented to overcome their problems.
Despite some short-term efforts to repair the roads and offer aid, the root causes of the challenges, such as damaged infrastructure and difficulties faced during the monsoon season, remain unresolved.
“The Kelantan state government has yet to deliver a concrete plan or long-term solution to improve our living conditions. This lack of sustained action has left us in a state of uncertainty. We struggle to cope with daily life due to poor road access.”
Kamal said the tok batin (village chief) and the Orang Asli Village Community Management Council have complained to the authorities, including authorities in the Galas state constituency, urging them to ban 4x4 vehicle activities in Orang Asli village areas during the monsoon season.
He said they also requested that only essential aid, such as food baskets, be allowed to enter the area.
“Our main request has always been for cooperation from all parties to provide aid and repair the damaged roads.
“Many aid programmes for the Orang Asli community are hampered due to poor road conditions and the weather,” he said
He added that suitable timing must be considered when organising extreme sports activities, especially during the monsoon months.
“We hope that our voices and cries for help are heard and that long-term solutions are implemented to improve our quality of life.
“As residents, we are requesting that the authorities provide food assistance as soon as possible.
“Let me emphasise that without immediate action, our situation will remain unresolved and bleak,” he said.
