Manogaran: Village heads will not be denied salaries

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Orang asli village heads or Tok Batin will not be denied their salaries even if they are Umno members, says M. Manogaran.

The Pakatan Harapan candidate for Cameron Highlands said Tok Batins were free to support any political party.

“We cannot intimidate and threaten them to support us.

“Even if they hold party posts, the government will still pay them their wages.

“For any election, the people are free to vote whoever they want,” Manogaran said during his campaign trail at Pos Menson orang asli settlement yesterday.

He was responding to a statement by Pakatan Senator Bob Manolan Mohamad, who said that village chiefs should not keep their posts if they still held positions in Umno.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua had apologised to the orang asli community, on behalf of the party over Manolan’s statement.

Separately, MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker rebuked DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for denying the statement now that PKR had issued an apology.

“Will Lim apologise to Malaysians for misleading them?” said Ti.

Ti, who is MCA’s elections director for the Cameron Highlands by-election, also chided Manogaran for saying that Manolan’s statement was “no big deal”.

“He should retract it. It is dismissive and condescending towards the orang asli community,” said Ti.