KUCHING: Five suspects were arrested in connection with the torching of heavy machinery, lorries and quarters at a timber camp in Tebedu, Serian last May 8.
Serian police chief ASP Awangku Ahmaddin Awang Wang yesterday said they were arrested in their villages on Friday.
They were then brought to the Central Police Station in Kuching for further investigation.
Batu Lintang assemblyman and PKR Sarawak information chief See Chee How, who is a legal counsel, was present at the station where the suspects were escorted to.
Last Sunday, about 500 residents from 10 villages marched to the timber camp to protest against the logging.
Seven heavy machinery, four lorries and five logging workers quarters were torched by the villagers who claimed the loggers had encroached into their land and damaged their crops. The police were there but could not stop the villagers as they were outnumbered.
Several days earlier the protesters had damaged a wooden bridge to stop logging trucks entering their land.