A group of environmental activists from Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA) have alleged that they were attacked by gangsters allegedly hired by a mining company.
According to a tweet posted on Thursday (Feb 2), the incident occurred at Pantai Pasir Panjung, Segari in Perak.
Claim gangsters were hired by mining company
KUASA wrote that they were holding a protest against illegal sand dredging activities which were being carried at a Level 1 Environmentally Sensitive Area and a turtle landing beach.
Not long after, a group of menacing looking men appeared at the scene and accosted them, telling the group that they were trespassing.
Utusan reported that the tense stand-off between both groups lasted for close to two hours.
Resolving the dispute
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman later told Sinar Harian that the dispute was due to a miscommunication between the two groups.
He added that the environmental activists and villagers were on their way to a press conference prior to the confrontation.
“After some negotiations, the group was eventually allowed to leave the area, including Pantai Remis assemblyperson Wong May Ing,” he said.
KUASA’s tweet has also caught the attention of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who said that he will be looking into the incident.
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