PETALING JAYA: The proposal to establish a compensation fund for farmers who experience crop damage caused by wildlife will be brought up to the finance ministry for inclusion in the 2024 budget.
Natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said guidelines for the policy were ready and the ministry will discuss the matter with the finance ministry in two weeks’ time.
He said the ministry has already held discussions with other relevant ministries on this matter.
“In addition to compensation for injuries and death, we are looking into indemnifying for damages to crops and property as well, including for the Orang Asli community.
“I believe that only if we can calm the tension (involving human-wildlife conflict), can we achieve the objective of ensuring our wildlife and forests are preserved,” he said during the keynote speech at the 12th Orang Asli Land Conference here today.
During a dialogue session with the Orang Asli community who attended the conference, Nik Nazmi was queried as to whether compensation would be paid out for damages to crops cultivated on government reserve land.
He responded that the matter needs to be scrutinised because compensation should be made to the appropriate parties.
“(For example), if the crops are cultivated on reserve land, that is something we need to take note of. As I said, the proposal to extend it to crops and properties is new and still being studied,” he said.
As to the release of wildlife into forests near Orang Asli villages, Nik Nazmi said the matter will be discussed with the department of wildlife and national parks (Perhilitan) as soon as possible.
He said there must be dialogues between the Orang Asli development department and state governments before any release is carried out.
Responding to the Nenggiri Hydroelectric Dam project in Kelantan, which would allegedly affect the Orang Asli community there, Nik Nazmi said the government’s stance not to build large-scale dams in the future, such as the Kenyir Dam in Terengganu and Pergau Dam in Kelantan, still stands.
“This is our policy moving forward but the Nenggiri Dam has already been approved. So it is beyond my power to cancel it.”
He said the construction of large-scale dams will cause surrounding villages to be flooded and destroy wildlife habitats, leading to the encroachment of wild animals into human settlements.
About 100 Orang Asli community representatives from Kelantan, Perak, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor gathered at the conference, organised by the NGO, Orang Asli Network of Peninsular Malaysia, and human rights group, Komas Centre. - FMT
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