Endau-Rompin (Selai) Visit and Orang Asli Community Service

On the weekend of 19 to 20 July, MNSJ was lucky to have YB Tan Kok Hong (Exco for Environment and many other things) to accompany our entourage to first visit Kg. Kemidak to hand out some supplies for the Orang Asli of that kampung and the nearby Kg. Selai. The supplies were from the money collected for the 2006 great floods and some clothings mostly collected by Mr. Chern Boon Hong.

The journey started out early (7 am) for us from Johor Bahru and even earlier for members from Singapore. The destination for our convergence was Bekok, incidently the constituency of YB Tan and the ETA was 1030 am. The exact place was at the Johor National Parks Corporation (JNPC) office. MNSJ was short of 4-WD vehicles, which were necessary a few kilometers on the outskirts of Bekok. Lucky for us, with YB Tan in our entourage, most of the MCA members around Bekok with the Pajeros and Troopers came out in force!

We did good time and the Orang Asli Community Service at Kg. Kemidak's community hall cum JNPC office started on schedule. The health and dental services from the Segamat Health Department were there to give their services (thanks to YB Dr Robia Kosai and Dr Zaharah Mohd Salleh of Segamat Health Department). Both batins from the two villages were also there. After a couple of speeches from Haji Abu Bakar, the Director of JNPC and YB Tan, the assistance in the form of food and clothes were handed out the two Tok Batins.

After a few group photos, the group headed for Lubuk Tapah, Selai. YB Tan walked around the Lubuk Tapah facilities, fed the fishes and later have lunch with all participants. YB Tan and his entourage left after lunch and a short discussion with MNSJ and Haji Abu Bakar of JNPC.

Thanks to JNPC (especially Haji Abu Bakar and Mr. Chew), our stay in Lubuk Tapah was free of charge. We have an free and easy afternoon, some took a swim in Lubuk Tapah, while Dr. Ismid scouted for sampling areas for Vincent and Aweng to do samplings for their PhD dissertations. We cooked and ate a good dinner that night and more discussions of everything under the sun.

After a good breakfast the next morning, a group followed En Hamid to hike to the waterfalls upstream of Sg. Selai, while another group followed Dr. Ismid and myself with Vincent and Aweng to do their fish and macroinvertebrates samplings of Sg. Selai.

Some participants left early (around 12 noon) especially the Singaporeans to beat the traffic jam at the Causeway but the Dr Ismid's sampling group only left Lubuk Tapah around 2 pm but we have a durian feast in Bekok before heading home!

maketab
13 Sept. 2008