KOTA BARU:The Kelantan government has "washed"  its hands over the arrest of orang asli activists, saying the matter was with the police and Forestry Department.

Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob (pic) said in a WhatsApp message on Tuesday that he had left the matter to the two authorities to solve the issue with the orang asli.

The orang asli were detained at three blockade sites in Balah, Perias and Gunong Stong Selatan permanent forest reserves where they had protested against logging activities.

"The government had left the matter of the orang asli who had built the barricades along logging roads to stop logs from coming out from the areas to the authorities to handle.

"The arrests of the orang asli should be left to the wisdom of the authorities and no party should get involved until the investigation is completed," Ahmad said.

On Tuesday, scores of orang asli activists were arrested after over 200 enforcement personnel from the Forestry and police stormed the blockades, dismantling bamboo huts that had been erected there.

The Kelantan government is adamant that the orang asli community dismantle their blockade or face the consequences.

Ahmad said the blockade was illegal and the community was hampering development.

The orang asli built the barricades between Pos Tohoi and Pos Gob in late September to prevent logs from leaving two areas in the Balah permanent forest reserve, covering 239ha and 404ha respectively, that had been approved for logging.

Resource : The Star