Five held after obstructing enforcement team at Tasek Bera Ramsar site [WATCH]

BERA: Police detained five people, including four women, for allegedly obstructing an enforcement team during a joint operation at the Tasek Bera Conservation Forest Reserve (Ramsar) yesterday.

District police chief Superintendent Zulkiflee Nazir said the five allegedly obstructed and provoked enforcement personnel during the operation around 10am.

He said the operation involved several enforcement agencies and was conducted under the National Forestry Act 1984.

"During the operation, a group believed to be Orang Asli had set up barriers and provoked enforcement personnel. Five suspects were arrested," he said in a statement.

[[nid:1533782]]

Several videos of the operation at the forest reserve went viral on social media yesterday, showing enforcement personnel negotiating with a group of individuals to gain access to a section of the forest.

Zulkiflee said the case was being investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code for voluntarily obstructing a civil servant in the discharge of public functions.

The offence carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

The operation involved the Pahang State Enforcement Unit, Forestry Department, Bera District and Land Office, General Operations Force, Wildlife and National Parks Department and police.

The special operation, which began on Sept 14, was aimed at destroying illegal plantations and curbing land encroachment at the Tasek Bera forest reserve.