PM to resolve Orang Asli land issue

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday assured 220 Orang Asli of the Temiar community from Kelantan that he will resolve problems concerning their customary land.

The residents of 17 settlements in Gua Musang sought his help to find a solution to their customary land being encroached on by companies and used for durian farms since Feb 18.

Five spokesmen for the Orang Asli handed a memorandum and explained their problem to Dr Mahathir.

Among them were Jaringan Kampung Wilayah Tanah Adat Pos Simpor chairman Nur Mohd Shafiq Dendi Abdullah and Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil.

Shafiq said at the meeting, Dr Mahathir had asked about those who came to see him and upon learning that they were outside the Perdana Putra building here, he expressed the desire to meet all of them.

Dr Mahathir said he sympathised with the plight of the Orang Asli, who had to erect barricades to prevent their land from being encroached on.

“The Pakatan Harapan government sympathises with them and is prepared to help them.

“I will help them by negotiating with the Kelantan Pas government because the issue of land comes under the state government’s jurisdiction.”

Sabrina said the meeting with Dr Mahathir boosted their confidence that the issue could be resolved.