Tok Batin Anuar Bakung, 58, said the residents from the Semoq Beri, Jakun and Temiar tribes, who earn a living by collecting rattan and forest roots, were now living in anxiety over the future of their families if they are ordered to relocate.

He said the residents received a notice from the Dungun land office on July 15, 2025, instructing them to vacate the state land.

“Based on the contents of the letter, residents were ordered to demolish their houses and vacate the area within 90 days from the date the letter was issued,” he said when met by reporters.

A Bernama survey found that 14 houses in the Orang Asli settlement also had warning notices prohibiting the occupation of government land around the area.

Anuar said the residents had submitted an application to the land office on June 10 seeking permission to occupy the area while awaiting a response for their application for a temporary occupation licence, which was being pursued with the Terengganu Orang Asli development department (Jakoa).

He said all the families were currently living in houses built by a non-profit technical relief organisation, Insaf Malaysia, last year, which were equipped with basic facilities, including solar lighting.

Insaf Malaysia representative Othman Omar said it spent about RM560,000 to build the 14 houses and planned to apply for clean water supply and electricity facilities for the residents.

However, state infrastructure, utilities and rural development committee chairman Hanafiah Mat maintained that the residents must vacate the area as the settlement is located on state government land.

Hanafiah said the area had been identified as a proposed site for the construction of Kolej Al-Quran Terengganu, and the state government could not consider applications for water and electricity supply as long as the land status remained state government-owned.