‘Don’t take away our bank, supermarket’

Orang Asli tribes speak about their fear over the proposed amendments ton the 1954 Aboriginal People's Act.

PETALING JAYA: The Orang Asli community’s livelihood and culture are closely linked to the forest and they fear everything will be lost if the proposed amendments to the 1954 Aboriginal People’s Act are passed.

Abdul Rahman Hassan, an Orang Asli from the Lanoh tribe, said the Orang Asli community would feel lost without the forest.

“Our culture and tradition will be in danger of extinction. We get everything related to our culture and tradition there. It is our bank, supermarket and hospital,” said the 33-year-old from Grik in Perak.

He said the boiling the roots of the mitragyna speciosa (pokok ketum) and drinking it could treat diabetes.

“Drinking the boiled roots of the Ataulfo mango roots can lower high-blood pressure,” he added.

The amendments will enable the authorities to develop 645,000ha of Orang Asli land, including jungles.

The Orang Asli Development Department and other government agencies will be developing the land.

Each Orang Asli family will be allocated between 0.8ha and 2.4ha to set up their homes and farms.

Unfortunately, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry is only engaging the native people who are supporting the proposed amendments in their negotiations.

Arom Asil, from the Temiar tribe in Gua Musang, Kelantan, said he would be deprived of his livelihood if the amendments were passed.

“The government will kill us if they passed the amendments,” said the 63-year-old who collects and sells jungle produce.

“If we do not live near the forest, outsiders would have carried out logging and cleared the jungle.

“It is because of us there are still jungles around,” he said.

Why are they giving us land when we are originally from here? The land is ours,” he said.

Burial grounds

Village headman Mat Noing, 61, from Bera in Pahang, is worried that his activities may be restricted as a result of his efforts to oppose the proposed amendment.

“I am afraid that the government may impose restrictions on me even though there are none now,” said the Mat Noing from the Semelai tribe.

Shafie Dris, who is from the Jahut tribe, said his agriculture venture was at stake if the amendments were passed.

“I have a 4ha oil palm plantation on Orang Asli land that is not recognised by the government,” said Shafie from Kuala Krau, Pahang.

Shafie said had he worked on a recognised plot of Orang Asli land, the government would not compensate him when the land was taken away.

He said the proposed amendments failed to recognise Orang Asli burial grounds, especially when the community practices shifting cultivation.

“Traditionally we build homes and work on the land for three years before moving to another nearby spot.

“The burial grounds are located at the back of our houses and it is marked but the ministry have not told us anything,” said Shafie who is also an Orang Asli activist.

The government is expected to table the amended Bill soon, perhaps even in this ongoing parliament sitting. It is presently waiting for the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to release its report on Orang Asli on July 18. The government is also involved in engaging with various stakeholders on the Bill.