13,562ha of land for orang asli gazetted
IPOH: The Perak government has gazetted 13,562ha of land for orang asli settlements in the state.
“We will continue to gazette land for them, including land for farming,” said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
“We will see to their needs for infrastructure and amenity upgrades,” he told 159 tok batin (village headman) from various orang asli villages during a meeting at the state secretariat building yesterday.
Dr Zambry said Perak was the first state to gazette such a vast amount of land for the orang asli in the past three years.
“We want to ensure that their welfare is taken care of so that one day, they too can be successful,” he added.
Dr Zambry said yesterday’s meeting was intended to get feedback from the tok batin on how to further improve the lives of the orang asli, adding that there were about 60,000 orang asli in Perak.
“We also presented several appointment letters for new tok batin and the bonus as announced during the state Budget last year,” he said.
During the meeting, the tok batin also pledged their support for Dr Zambry.
Meanwhile, Jaringan Orang Asli Perak Utara said the Pos Piah orang asli community in Sungai Siput wanted political candidates to help them gazette their village land as customary land and stop logging activities there.
Logging activities in Pos Piah started in 1976, its chairman Najib Alang claimed.
“We have sent many letters and petitions to the district Forestry Department, Orang Asli Development Department and the
Mentri Besar’s Office, but none of them have given us a clear answer on the activities, which were conducted near our village.
“At least 11 orang asli were also arrested for obstruction of duty in August last year,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Najib said there were about 790 villagers in four villages under Pos Piah – Kampung Kembok, Kampung Piah, Kampung Gentes and Kampung Teras.
Since candidates from various political parties are expected to visit them soon, he said: “We want to take this opportunity to
pledge our support for any candidate who can assist us.
“They will need to sign an Aku Janji (pledge), in which they will help us with our demands.”
Apart from having the land in Pos Piah gazetted, Najib said the folk there wanted it to be given a communal grant.
“We believe that it is important to preserve our forests as they are our national treasure, while also ensuring a sustainable socioeconomy and culture for the orang asli.
“This is also for the welfare and future of our children,” he added.