Questions abound regarding the current transfer and development of a 350-acre land that has for generations been inhabited by a community of Orang Asli in Perak.

At a meeting today between representatives of the palm oil plantation company and the villagers of Kampung Chang Sungai Gepai, the latter were given another two-week extension before clearance works continue.

However, both the manner in which the discussion was held as well as the terms offered by the company, said to be owned by a former minister, raised more questions than answers, said one of the villagers.

This follows the ending of a one-week deadline announced on Dec 1 by the private company to the villagers to certify their claim over the said land, failing which the company said clearance and preliminary works for the planting of palm oil would resume.

Many of the villagers' questions remain unanswered, chief among which relate to how the land could suddenly have come into the possession of the plantation company without the consultation or knowledge of the village residents.

Villagers puzzled

When contacted, villager Rizuan Tempek said that representatives from the Perak State Agricultural Development Corportation (PSADC), the state's Department for Orang Asli Affairs (JHEOA), and the company met with about 20 villagers this morning.

Throughout the meeting, however, neither the representative from the company and nor those from JHEOA spoke at all, said Rizuan.

"It was the state corporation representative who spoke on their behalf. He was the one who discussed with us," he added.

Puzzled as to why the state agency was speaking on behalf of the company, Rizuan said even the JHEOA representative in his silence showed that he did not represent the Orang Asli community.

"He didn't say anything. We don't understand why. He seemed merely to be representative of the Department, not the Orang Asli community. We simply don't understand the whole affair."

Furthermore, he said, the PSADC representative attempted to reassure the villagers that the use of fertilisers and herbicides for the palm oil plantation would not affect their water supply.

"We don't understand how the crops that we've planted, such as petai, rotan, and durian, can survive with such herbicides and fertilisers. We don't understand how that can be so," said Rizuan.

Even if the villagers could still drink the water, the fertilisers would affect the crops and forest resources from which the villagers have traditionally derived their basic sustenance and cash income, he added.

The PSADC representative also said that if the villagers were still apprehensive about the adverse effects of the use of fertilisers and herbicides, the company was willing to compromise by keeping away from the water catchment area, said Rizuan.

"He told us that if the villagers do not want the plantation to affect their water catchment area, the project can be done in such a way as not to approach their water supply but end two kilometers away."

Despite the villagers' questions, the PSADC representative told them that they had two weeks to reach a decision on the matter.

Officials from PSADC, JHEOA and the District Land Office could not be reached for comments.