Once Again, the Lives of the Semai Orang Asli Community in Pos Lanai, Kuala Lipis, Pahang are Being Threatened by a Development Project!

Summary of Original Post: https://x.com/partisosialis/status/1798575338492162079 The land of the Orang Asli Semai in Pos Lanai, situated in the forest areas of Hulu Jelai, Pahang, has faced recurrent threats from deforestation, commercial farming, and most recently, a mining project geared towards "green technology." This ongoing destruction jeopardizes the environment and the livelihoods of the indigenous Semai people.

In May 2024, the Pahang state government approved an area of 220 hectares at Hulu Jelai for a non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) mining project. Despite it likely being situated within the Hulu Jelai Forest Reserve, the project is still backed by the Pejabat Pengarah Tanah dan Galian Pahang (PTG) and Perbadanan Perlombongan Pahang (PMC).

The NR-REE document and the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) both clearly state that mining activities involving NR-REE resources in conservation areas are not supported or approved. Despite this, the government is proceeding with a mining project that violates this SOP. This raises questions about why the government is disregarding its own guidelines and allowing such activities to occur, potentially risking environmental damage in sensitive areas like Pos Lanai.