Journalists Brave Punishing Terrain To Share The Realities Of Remote Communities

By Anis Nabilla Md Wazilah

KUANTAN, June 19 (Bernama) -- Behind the successful rescue of missing climber Jaslinda Saludin, who survived 15 days on Gunung Batu Putih, lies the overlooked struggle of a gruelling trek undertaken just to break the news from a remote Orang Asli village isolated deep within the Perak wilderness.

Found safe by Orang Asli villagers near Kampung Lubuk Gaharu in Tapah, Jaslinda’s rescue brought immense relief while also exposing the isolation of this remote community and the arduous struggle media teams face to secure real-time updates from the scene.

Accessing Pos Musoh means braving a brutal, two-hour four-wheel-drive journey along a remote logging route. This treacherous terrain of rocks and thick mud stands as the only link to a settlement far removed from the modern world.

For the media teams involved, covering the story was no ordinary assignment but rather a true test of physical stamina and professional dedication to delivering vital news to the public.

However, the ordeal also shed light on the daily realities of the remote Orang Asli community, who still struggle with inadequate basic infrastructure, including a dilapidated wooden bridge at the rescue site.

In reality, Jaslinda’s story is merely a glimpse into a vast hinterland that the media rarely reaches, despite being rich with profound human stories, cultural depth, and the resilience of its indigenous communities.

In Pahang, which has the largest Orang Asli population in the Peninsular, at nearly 85,000 as of 2024, most communities remain settled in remote areas and along forest edges. This sheer isolation makes field reporting exceptionally difficult.

For 46-year-old T N Alagesh, a Pahang-based journalist with the New Straits Times, reporting from the remote interior since 2007 has transcended routine newsgathering; it has been a transformative journey that profoundly altered his perspective on Orang Asli life.

One assignment left a particularly lasting impression: the story of schoolteacher Ahmad Saidin Mohd Idris, who travels 135 kilometres daily from Kuala Medang to Sekolah Kebangsaan Lenjang in Lipis, driven by a sole mission to keep local Orang Asli children in school.

"For that assignment back in 2017, we needed a 4WD vehicle to navigate over 60 kilometres of muddy dirt tracks, which took more than two hours each way.

According to him, travelling through thick rainforests and settlements lacking basic infrastructure highlighted both the extraordinary sacrifices of rural teachers and the harsh realities of daily life for these communities.

"Every day, Ahmad Saidin sets off as early as 5 am. His dedication to keeping Orang Asli children in the school system is truly inspirational," he said in an interview with Bernama.

He noted that back then, Sekolah Kebangsaan Lenjang still relied on a nearby river for its water supply and on solar power, while communications were strictly limited to a basic satellite system.

Meanwhile, 50-year-old Kosmo! journalist Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman believes the media serves as a vital bridge between these isolated communities and the outside world, ensuring their voices finally reach the relevant parties.

During one assignment in Kampung Kundang, Rompin, he remembered encountering an elderly Orang Asli villager living in extreme poverty in a makeshift bamboo-and-plastic shelter.

"When I decided to visit his home, the situation I discovered was devastating. Financial constraints were so severe that he was forced to reuse disposable diapers," he recalled.

He expressed hope that the reports would serve as a wake-up call for the relevant authorities, prompting them to deliver the necessary aid.

For media practitioners, perilous terrain and logistical hurdles are part of the job. However, they are calling for better coverage, access, and systemic support so that the struggles of these isolated communities can be shared more widely with the public.

As the country marks National Journalists' Day (HAWANA), such realities serve as a stark reminder of the lengths to which media practitioners must go, proving that behind every news report is a profound journey to bring the voices of the marginalised to the world.

This year's HAWANA is set to take place tomorrow at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Arena Butterworth in Penang, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scheduled to officiate.

-- BERNAMA