Caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced a one-off payment of RM1,000 to each Tok Batin or penghulu (village heads) of Orang Asli communities nationwide.
He said the total allocation of RM624,000 for the payment was a sign of the Keluarga Malaysia government's appreciation for the contributions of Tok Batin and penghulu in the development and preservation of the Orang Asli heritage.
"This also proves that the government has never sidelined the contributions of the Orang Asli community who are part of Keluarga Malaysia," he said at a meet and greet programme with Risda and Felcra smallholders and Orang Asli at Arena Merdeka in Tapah.
Also present were Rural Development Minister Mahdzir Khalid, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad and Human Resources Minister M Saravanan, who is also the incumbent Tapah MP.
Ismail Sabri said the government appreciated the role and hard work of the village heads in ensuring Orang Asli village-level administration ran smoothly.
Recognising the importance of the institution, the caretaker prime minister said the government has also allocated an allowance amounting to RM6.739 million annually for a total of 624 Tok Batin and penghulu.
According to him, the government has allocated RM2.7 million in Budget 2023 to develop the economy of the youth in the Orang Asli community.
Ismail Sabri added that his government will always look after the welfare of the Orang Asli if it continues to be given a mandate in the 15th general election and fight to solve some of the community's problems including land issues.
- Bernama
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