8.1 ANTHROPOLOGY 8.1.1 The Orang Asli Community The proposed Nenggiri HEP project in Gua Musang District in Kelantan is located in the upper Sg. Nenggiri or sometimes also known as the interior parts of Gua Musang. This part of the state is hilly and covered with virgin forests and is sparsely populated by the Orang Asli. Parts of the forests have been cleared and cultivated with commercial crops like rubber and oil palm by the state-owned Ladang Rakyat Enterprise. Timber had also been heavily harvested in the region, and although these activities were meant to generate income to the state, but it had also impacted the serene and quiet life of the Orang Asli who were tradionally dependent on the jungle product for their livelihhood. The clearing of the forest has exposed the Orang Asli to several problems like the loss of natural forest resources and livelihood. Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA) have listed at least 18 Orang Asli settlements with a population of more than 15,000 living in the District of Gua Musang (JAKOA 2014). Most of the Orang Asli living here are Temiar. Of these 18 settlements (Table 8.1.1), three settlements, namely Pos Pulat, Kg. Kuala Wias and Pos Tohoi (Figure 8.1.1 to Figure 8.1.2) that are located close to Sungai Nenggiri have been identified to be directly impacted by the proposed dam project (Figure 8.1.3). The total population of these three villages are about 1115, cosisting of 197 household units. Table 8.1.2 shows the population distribution of these three villages. More than 80% of the population are muslims. Pos Tohoi and Pos Pulat were developed in the 1990s as Orang Asli settlements by Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA) know known as JAKOA. The land on which the settlements were developed were State land and not gazetted under Orang Asli Reserved. Pos Kuala Wok was particularly developed later to relocate the inhabitants of Kg. Kuala Wias, as the area was developed for commercial plantation by the Ladang Rakyat. Only one family headed by UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-1 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment Kilot refused to move to Kuala Wok, but continued to stay at Kuala Wias until today. He believes the area of Kuala Wias was his ancestral land. The reason for JAKOA developing Pos Pulat and Pos Tohoi was to enable the government to provide better social, economics and health services to the community who were staying in the interior of Ulu Kelantan. Their previous settlements were not easily accessible by land. Both these settlements were expected to become the focal points for communities living further in the interior to get access to social and health facilities. The school in Pos Tohoi for example provides education for children from at least five (5) villages located in the interior of Ulu Kelantan. Table 8.1.1 Orang Asli Settlements in Gua Musang (JAKOA 2015) No. Settlements Households Population 1 Pos Brooke 509 2453 2 Pos Hendrop 336 1659 3 Pos Tuel 122 630 4 Pos Lebir 155 673 5 Pos Simpor 118 713 6 Pos Hau 171 932 7 Pos Belatim 88 403 8 Pos Kuala Wok 55 92 9 Pos Blau 79 362 10 Pos Kuala Lah 38 167 11 Pos Gob 78 336 12 Pos Pulat & Kg.Kuala Wias 54 297 13 Pos Sg. Tako 6 21 14 Pos Bihai 225 1135 15 Pos Tohoi 146 595 16 RPS Balar 154 1008 17 RPS Pasik 201 1018 18 RPS Kuala Betis 410 2160 Total 2945 14654 Table 8.1.2 Population Distribution of the Impacted Settlements (Survey 2016) Name of Settlements Number of households Total Population Pos Tohoi 134 767 Pos Pulat 56 316 Kg. Kuala Wias 7 32 TOTAL 197 1115 Other Orang Asli villages in the upper region of Pos Tohoi (Sg. Perias) that are expected to be indirectly impacted by the project are Pos Gob and Kampung Bring Lama. These villages use the access road via Pos Tohoi to visit Gua Musang. Several other villages between Kuala Betis and Pos Tohoi that are located within the 5 km perimeter zone of impact are Kg. Guling, Kg. Langsat, Kg. Tinjing, Kg. Jias (A, B, C), Kg. Bawik, Kg. Seladak, Kg. Depak and UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-2 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment Kg. Setawar. All these villages are part of the RPS Kuala Betis Complex that was developed in 1979. The increase of water level in Sg Nenggiri caused by the dam construction can possibly damage the crops along the river bank cultivated by the Orang Asli. House at Pos Pulat House at Pos Pulat Kindergarten at Pos Pulat JKKK Office at Pos Pulat SK Pulat Football field Figure 8.1.1 Current Settlements at Pos Pulat UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-3 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment House at Pos Tohoi House at Pos Tohoi Playground at Pos Tohoi JKKK Office at Pos Tohoi SK Tohoi Soccer field Figure 8.1.2 Current Settlements at Pos Tohoi UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-4 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment Figure 8.1.3 The Location of Pos Pulat, Kg. Kuala Wias and Pos Tohoi. UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-5 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment Page intentionally left blank UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-6 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment 8.1.1 The Orang Asli of Pos Pulat, Kg. Kuala Wias and Pos Tohoi Just like any other Orang Asli communities in Gua Musang, the people of Pos Pulat, Kg. Kuala Wias and Pos Tohoi are slowly adapting to the changes that are occurring within their environment. JAKOA has been planning and implementing development programmes for the Orang Asli in both these settlements since 1990s, and as a result, a modern way of live has slowly crept into the daily life of the Orang Asli today. So are the communities living in the RPS Kuala Betis Complex. There are several communities whos continues to depend on hill padi cultivation and collecting jungle products for their livelihood such as Pos Simpor, Kg. Tendrik of Pos Bihai, Kg. Tapai and Kg. Enching of Pos Hau, Pos Gob and last but not least is Kg. Bering Lama. In all these settlements, the role of traditional leadership has been taken over by modern leadership introduced by JAKOA. Currently, these communities are lead by their respective village-heads called the Penghulu. The penghulu play the role of gate-keeper for his community when interacting with the government officers and outsiders. At the same time his role is also to maintain harmony in the community as well as to ensure that their customs and traditions (adat) are observed. He is respected by his community. To help them organise their community and plan for development in their settlement, a new leadership structure called JKKK (Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung) was initiated in Pos Pulat and Pos Tohoi and RPS Kuala Betis by JAKOA. The JKKK is lead by a chairman (pengerusi) and is supported by a secretary (setiausaha) and several other committee members. Their role is to conduct meetings to address issues (regarding economics, education, health, culture and security) faced by the community. The minutes of these meetings will be submited to JAKOA for further actions. Both the penghulu and the JKKK members are given monthly allowences by JAKOA. The role of bomohs (traditional healers) are slowly dying out in this community as modern health facilities provided by the Ministry of Health are taking over. At the same time, with the introduction of Islam into the community, like in Pos Tohoi and Pos Pulat, new religious values are developed. As a result, much of the traditional practices, rituals and habits that were usually practised by the Temiar are no longer practised today. For example, hunting wild animals for food is not conducted any more, as most of the animals they ususally hunt such as primates and wild boars are forbidden to be consumed. Only those individuals who practise their traditional beliefs continue to do hunting and collect jungle products if there are opportunity for them to do so. The introduction of new economic activities by JAKOA, like rubber tapping and banana cultivation have reduced their jungle roaming activities. The Temiar living within this zone of impact are more dependent on the products from the market for their survival. As a matter of fact, the forests where they once used to roam, hunt and collect have diminished. The Sg. Nenggiri where they used to fish is contaminated due to serious soil erosion caused by jungle clearing. The river water quality is no more suitable for drinking and washing, and the people hardly bathe in the river anymore. The people of these settlements are now enjoying water supply piped directly into their homes. Most of the cleaning and washing are now done at home. With the availability of electricity in the village, modern household gadgets like televisions and UKM Pakarunding Sdn. Bhd. (561663-U) 8-7 THE PROPOSED NENGGIRI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Existing Human Environment refrigerators are getting into their homes. Modern way of life is already visible in the community. Both Pos Tohoi and Pos Pulat and RPS Kuala Betis are equipped with educational facilities. The schools built in these locations are equipped with hostels to cater for the needs of students from nearby villages and trained teachers are sent to serve in the schools.