Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Rajesh Nagarajan said six homes and a community hall were demolished on May 4.
He said the community had lived on the land for generations and claimed it has now been leased by the Pahang government to a palm oil company.
“The Orang Asli have been staying there since time immemorial. Their grandfathers and great-grandfathers all lived there. Despite that, the land was leased to a palm oil company.
“If a company moves in, the forest will be cleared and replaced with plantations. How are the Orang Asli supposed to live in such conditions? In effect, they are being evicted,” he said at a press conference at the Lawyers for Liberty office today.
Rajesh, who is also representing the villagers, alleged the demolition was carried out without prior notice. He added that one of the affected homes belonged to a disabled person, and that two dogs and four kittens died when the structures collapsed.
He said six police reports have been lodged, with villagers now living in makeshift tents on the site.
Lawyer Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal said the Federal Constitution places a duty on the government to protect the welfare of the Orang Asli.
He described the demolition as unlawful, noting that even a landlord must obtain a court order to evict a tenant, and questioned how the authorities could justify destroying homes without due process.
“They must be compensated for the losses suffered as a result of the demolition,” he said, adding that the land should be gazetted as Orang Asli customary land.
Both lawyers also called on the state government to rebuild the homes immediately, investigate the police reports, and halt further land clearing and demolitions pending resolution of the dispute.
Rajesh also questioned the role of the authorities, claiming police were present during the demolition, and rejected claims that the villagers had only occupied the land since 2020.
He urged the rural and regional development ministry and the Orang Asli development department (Jakoa) to intervene, saying they have a responsibility to safeguard the community’s welfare.
He warned that a protest would be held in Putrajaya if no inquiry is established.
FMT has contacted the Pahang government and police for comment.