Going the extra mile for survival of Kuala Langat Forest Reserve
14 Apr 2021 / 10:23 H.
Pix for representational purpose only.
BANTING: Early every morning, Tonjoi Pipis gets ready for his “jaunt” in the jungle which is just a kilometre away from his dwelling at Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Kempas.
But foraging forest products is not the only thing on this man’s mind – he is also there for another noble mission which is to restore parts of the peat swamp forest that were destroyed by a huge fire seven years ago.
Tonjoi, 51, is among the 2,000-odd Orang Asli of the Temuan ethnic clan living in four settlements on the south-western fringes of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR), which is located about 21.5 kilometres from Banting town and currently facing an uncertain future as the Selangor government is proposing to degazette it for development purposes.