GUA MUSANG: Access to the Pos Simpor and Pos Gob Orang Asli settlements here was cut off Saturday (May 17) after a landslide blocked the main route, affecting over 3,000 residents.
The incident, believed to have been caused by continuous heavy rain, forced residents to endure a nearly 10-hour journey to Gua Musang town for daily errands.
Mohd Syafiq Dendi Abdullah, 32, from Pos Simpor, said the incident was discovered at about 9am when he and 19 other residents were on their way to town.
"When we reached Kampung Penad, we found the road covered with nearly two metres of debris from the collapsed slope at Bukit Kawug. We had to take turns helping each other lift our motorcycles over it.
"The trip that usually takes three hours stretched to nine hours because of this incident," he told reporters at the Kuala Betis new resettlement scheme (RPS) here on Sunday (May 18).
Another resident from Kampung Gawin, Pos Gob, Along Apok, 40, said the muddy dirt road caused by continuous rain had made travel in and out even more difficult.
"It started raining around 6pm on Friday and continued until early Saturday. The interior areas have experienced heavy rain quite often recently, which may have contributed to the slope becoming unstable," he said.
Meanwhile, Pos Simpor Orang Asli Village Development and Safety Committee (JPKKOA) chairman Jamil Jabon said they notified the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) immediately after learning about the incident.
"We really hope the road cleaning work will be done immediately. If not, emergency cases like taking patients to the hospital could be really difficult," he said.
Kelantan and Terengganu Jakoa deputy director Roslina Bun confirmed the incident and said immediate steps were being taken.
"Jakoa will talk to the estate and contractors involved in the road repair to get the cleaning work started as soon as possible," she said. – Bernama
