A villager, Ibrahim Marijah, 67, said residents of several settlements, including Pos Gob, Pos Simpor, Pos Balar, Pos Bihai, Pos Belatim and Pos Tohoi, would encounter heavy vehicles while making the journey on the unpaved logging trail.

“The Orang Asli here want the state government, who earn revenue from our area, to spend it on our need for development and facilities here.

“For the 40 years, we have had to squeeze past lorries on the very narrow unpaved road, threatening our safety,” he told reporters at Kampung Bawek, Kuala Betis today.

Fellow resident Rozi Asod, 50, pointed out that the laterite earth surface was damaged due to the heavy load carried by the timber lorries.

“There are so many potholes, small and large, and when it rains, the condition goes from bad to worse, making it hard for residents to get around.

“This is the one and only road for us to use for our daily matters and even to get help in emergencies,” he said.

Angano Kamis, 43, agreed, saying residents like him have been having problems over the road since the 1980s, particularly when it came to repairs.

“The Orang Asli development department has repaired the road several times, but not entirely as several areas are not under their supervision,” he said, adding that the relevant logging company has never held discussions with the local community to seek a solution in repairing the road.