GUA MUSANG, Oct 14 — The Orang Asli community of the Temiar tribe in Pos Balar, Pos Tohoi and Pos Gob are appealing to extreme sports aficionado involving convoys and four-wheel drive vehicles (4WD) to cease their activities ahead of the monsoon season.
Radi Uda, 51, from Kampung Kajang said residents have problems moving around in their motorcycles because the roads are badly damaged due to robust usage, especially by extreme sports lovers.
“The roads in our area is damaged. If the roads are exclusively used by us, it would not be damaged like now. They come with their 4WD vehicles just to play in the rain (extreme sports), we the village folks are victimised.
“From here to go out to Gua Musang takes almost 12 hours, from eight in the morning until seven in the afternoon,” he told reporters when met here recently.
According to Radi, he once spent more than three hours just climbing up the muddied and hilly road that is only 100 meters away by motorcycle because the road is badly damaged due to heavy rain and as a result of the road being frequently passed by many extreme sports vehicles.
For Osman Anjang, 46, who is from Pos Balar the activities carried out by extreme sports fans only brings hardship to those living in the rural area because the roads are not passable to carry out their chores or routine travel.
“I appeal to outsiders, don’t be so selfish. We are aware that they just want to have fun but we, who are living here, have to deal with the risks in cases of an emergency. Obviously, this is a big problem for us,” he said.
John Busu, 36, claimed that he had come across 4WD vehicles more than five times since last September.
“They (4WD) shouldn’t be allowed to be on the road. This road is for the use of villagers. This is the only road for us to go in and out to buy milk, rice, and baby disposable diapers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kelantan/Terengganu Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) in a statement said the road to Pos Gob was temporarily closed for road repair, upgrading and bridge construction works.
According to the department, only motorcycles and 4WD users in cases of emergency are allowed to use the road that is temporarily closed for the time being starting from Pos Simpor junction to Pos Gob.
Jakoa also said the temporary closure is to make way for the contractor to carry out the project uninterrupted because it involves road maintenance and construction works and bridge construction that uses some heavy machinery. — Bernama
