The Orang Asli community has called on the government to directly engage with them on land issues, instead of going through the Orang Asli Affairs Department (Jakoa), which they claim has not been speaking up for them. They believe that encroachment into their reserved land and a lack of respect for their way of life in the forests has led to continuous conflicts between wildlife and the Orang Asli people. The community conveyed this message to the government during a dialogue with Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad at the 12th Orang Asli Conference. Over 100 Orang Asli representatives attended the event, including Tok Batins and community leaders from various states.
If their concerns continue to be ignored, the Orang Asli community has threatened to organize a protest to make themselves heard. However, for now, they will give the relatively new unity government time to address their requests. During the dialogue, they also highlighted the need for proper compensation for victims affected by logging, conflicts between wild elephants and tigers, and the policies and practices of the Wildlife and National Parks Department.
In response, Nik Nazmi stated that he would investigate the issues raised by the community. He acknowledged that his capacity to assist the Orang Asli is limited since Jakoa falls under the purview of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Despite this, the Orang Asli community hopes that Nik Nazmi will convey their complaints to the relevant ministers, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
During the dialogue, Fatimah Bah Sin, a member of the community, accused Jakoa of being a silent enemy, siding with the government in land struggles involving the Orang Asli. Fatimah mentioned her 2012 case where she won a dispute involving a 2,428ha land that included her village and Kampung Chahabuk. However, the state has yet to acknowledge their victory and still relies on Jakoa to represent them. Abdul Rahman from Gerik, Perak, appealed to the government to halt new logging licenses, to which Nik Nazmi responded that the unity government has already tightened the rules for such permits in the Peninsula.
To address the issue of wild elephants encroaching on their lands, Nik Nazmi suggested that plantation owners create elephant trails in their plantations. He cited successful cases in Sabah where elephant herds pass through plantations without damaging crops. Regarding the Ulu Nenggiri hydro dam in Gua Musang, Kelantan, which threatens to submerge four Orang Asli villages, Nik Nazmi stated that the project was agreed upon before his time and could not be abandoned. He emphasized that the current policy is to avoid constructing large dams like the one in Tasik Kenyir and that smaller hydro dams would require thorough studies before approval.
Nik Nazmi assured the Orang Asli community that he would investigate the logging in Bukit Gala, Negri Sembilan, which reportedly affects the water sources of seven Orang Asli villages. He pledged to address the issue with the necessary state authorities.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
