JOHOR BARU: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor expressed concerns about the welfare of Orang Asli communities in Malaysia, including the Orang Seletar, stating that they lag behind despite having their rights guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. He expressed hope that the winner of the Pulai parliamentary by-election would prioritize issues related to this community and work towards their development.
He emphasized the need for the Orang Asli community to select a representative who can bring local development to their areas. According to Ramli, the Orang Asli are significantly behind compared to other communities in Malaysia, and addressing this requires attention to factors such as education, infrastructure development, and the economy.
Ramli made these remarks during a visit to Kampung Orang Asli Bakar Batu near Taman Sutera in Johor Baru on September 7. He noted that Orang Asli communities living in suburban areas have more opportunities for development compared to those in forest areas because of the availability of local development.
The key challenge now, according to Ramli, is to expose the Orang Asli communities to various government initiatives aimed at improving their living standards and economy. The Pulai parliamentary constituency, where the by-election is taking place, is home to 500 Orang Asli residents in two villages – Bakar Batu and Sungai Temon – constituting a total of 306 registered voters.
The Pulai parliamentary by-election was called following the death of the incumbent Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who also served as the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, on July 23. The Election Commission (EC) has scheduled the polling day for the by-election to be held on September 9. A total of 166,653 individuals are eligible to vote for the Pulai seat, and there are 40,379 eligible voters for the Simpang Jeram state by-election.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
