Orang Asli in Cameron Highlands “threatened” into voting for BN, tribunal told

Orang Asli villagers in Cameron Highlands were told that they would have to start paying for education and healthcare should the opposition win the last general election.

Two witnesses from villages in Kuala Lipis, Pahang said this at the ongoing Bersih People's Tribunal on electoral fraud at the May 5 polls.

Norman a/l Kong, from Kampung Pos Senderut and Zainal a/l Kaptar said BN candidates made several promises during the campaign that have yet to be fulfilled.

Norman named MIC president Datuk G Palanivel, and claimed that the latter and another BN candidate for Jelai state seat had "threatened" them by saying they would be charged for education and healthcare if they lost in the election. Datuk Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail from Umno was the BN candidate for the Jelai state seat.

"Yes, Datuk G Palanivel told us that when he came to our village in a helicopter before polling day," Norman, 32, told the panel.

"Even schoolchildren take two hours to walk to school every day.

"So, I voted for the candidate with the rocket sign (DAP)," he said.

Zainal meanwhile revealed that they were promised tarred roads and houses. He said for years he had been hoping the government would build tarred roads as it was difficult to get out of the village to go to the nearest town. He also told the panel that the BN also promised to increase the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) assistance from RM500 to RM1500 if BN won.

When asked by assistant counsel Robyn Choi, Zainal said villagers never received what they had been promised.

Norman said BN had told them the same thing three elections ago and the promises had still not been fulfilled.

"Janji mereka tidak ditepati (their promises were not kept)," he said.

"Nothing had changed so we were fed-up."

Norman claimed the villagers were given RM20 each by Palanivel and were promised another RM80 if they voted for BN.

"Tetapi janji ini juga tidak ditepati (this promise, too, was not fulfilled)," he said, to laughter from the floor.