AS a journalist, providing media coverage for the Cameron Highlands by-election comes with its share of unique challenges. On top of the list is the remoteness of some Orang Asli settlements, which often leaves reporters struggling to determine whether the settlement in question is accessible to all vehicles.
The Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency is surrounded by several Orang Asli settlements, some only reachable via four-wheel drive vehicles through muddy terrain while other villages requires one to drive across streams or rivers, the water level of which would rise when during a downpour.
Most settlements also have no access to telecommunication networks, which leaves one unwittingly transported back to a time when mobile phones have not yet existed.
When this journalist, along with two colleagues, were assigned to cover a candidate on the campaign trail at Kampung Ulu Tual in Pos Sinderut on Thursday, we were told by some villagers in Sungai Koyan that while Pos Sinderut has tarred roads which are “passable”, we could expect poor phone signal.
We were warned that the 35km journey could take up to more than an hour and were advised to pack a light meal for the bumpy ride.
True enough, there were no signal bars on the mobile phone screen as this journalist mustered all his skills to manoeuvre his Perodua Myvi slowly along the tracks, surrounded by a dense forest, to reach Pos Sinderut which has some 3,000 villagers from 18 surrounding settlements.
With no Google Maps to rely on in the absence of a GPS signal, it was up to us to call the shots. Thankfully, after an hour and 30 minutes of uncertainty, we finally reached the Kampung Ulu Tual’s community hall.
A majority of the Semai-tribe Orang Asli villagers used smart phones to snap pictures of the event, and were clearly excited over the village’s newfound fame. This left reporters scrambling to check their phones on the off chance that a network line has miraculously appeared.
An elderly Orang Asli villager, who noticed the reporters’ confusion, clarified that while there was no phone signal to be had in Kampung Ulu Tual, the next village could offer some hope. The excitement faded away as soon as he mentioned that the next village was an hour away by road.
Kampung Ulu Tual village headman Harun Siden, 43, said although the village is equipped with generators and solar panels for electricity, it still lacks proper roads, education and telecommunication facilities.
Villager Ermin Alok, 44, said almost all the villagers including youths own phones, which they prefer to leave at home. They only bring the devices out when they travel to the nearby town.
"We know specific locations in certain villages to obtain mobile phone signals but sometimes, we might have to walk a few kilometres or go to a higher area for a signal. For many of us, a mobile phone isn’t a necessity and we only use it to sometimes make calls," he said.
The father-of-five was surprised by the presence of a large group of outsiders who made their way to the village, given the long and potentially hazardous journey.
“Visitors must be careful and plan their journey here. You need special tyres or the vehicle might skid. If vehicles break down, one could be left stranded or forced to walk for hours for help,” he said.
Poor accessibility and lack of a telecommunication network had in the past come with grave ramifications. Kamal Bad Ding from Kampung Simui lost his sister several years ago after she was bitten by a snake while collecting fruits in the jungle.
Kamal, 49 said his sister was taken to the Betau health clinic by her husband on a motorcycle before she was rushed to the Lipis hospital.
"She died while being transferred via ambulance to the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital. She might still be alive today if we had proper roads and a telecommunication network.
"The roads in certain villages are so bad that even four-wheel-drive vehicles, lorries transporting rubber or motorcycles get stuck in mud. There’s not even a phone signal for you to call for help,” he said, urging the government to speed up plans to improve the roads.
Farez Lalak, 33, said when they need to make calls, they would have to ride their motorcycles for quite a distance or walk around with their phones held aloft to find a signal.
"A few years ago, a guy crashed his superbike into the bushes along the Sungai Koyan-Cameron stretch. He was found 24-hours later by Orang Asli who were collecting bamboo. He was lucky to have survived,” he said.
A budget of RM15 million was set aside by the previous government to upgrade the 35km stretch between Betau and Pos Lenjang. The Orang Asli community, however, have questioned why the present government decided to call off the project after the 14th general election.
In 2017, New Straits Times had highlighted the dedication of teacher Ahmad Saidin Mohd Idris, who braved poor road conditions and traveled by motorcycle for his 65km commute from his house in Kuala Medang to his school, SK Lenjang.