Park officer apologises for insulting Orang Asli

A Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officer has apologised for insulting the Orang Asli community with his"wandering animals" remark and also made it clear it does not represent his department's views.

Hassan Kassim (left) came under fire recently for writing in a Facebookcomment that the Orang Asli community should not be like "animals" - "where ever they roam in the forest, that's their home" - and went on to call for a Felda-like scheme to resettle them.

Kassim made the remark when defending the Pahang government's move to put up a wire fence along Sungai Krau to safeguard wildlife in the national park.

The insulting remark was also in response to a plea from former Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah on his Facebook page on Nov 9, calling on all Malaysians to learn about and understand the challenges faced by the Orang Asli in their struggle for their native land rights.

Suhakam recently released a two-year study it conducted nationwide on the land rights of the indigenous peoples.

It made 18 recommendations to resolve the problems nationwide, including the setting up of a land rights tribunal for indigenous peoples. The report was handed over to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Paul Low on Aug 6.

'A private error'

Hassan's comment has angered the Orang Asli community in Krau, adding to the harassment the local community faces in Perhilitan's fencing up of the Kuala Krau forest reserve.

Asked about this, Hassan said that he made "a private error" and that this was not done in his capacity as a wildlife park officer.

"I am sorry for the personal remark. I have no ill intention and made it without thinking properly," Hassan said when contacted byMalaysiakini.

He added that he has also been chided by his Perhilitan department head for the remark. However, he declined to comment on Perhilitan's policy to fence up the park.

Hassan said as part of his duty, he often goes to the ground to explain to the Orang Asli community in Krau about park laws and regulations to protect wildlife in the area.

The Orang Asli there have taken Hassan's comment to imply that the government valued animals more than them.

An 86-year old Kampung Pian resident, Dung Regak (right), reminded Hassan that the Orang Asli were living there long before Malaya was formed and even before the idea of national parks existed.

The Orang Asli said that the fences put up by Perhilitan disrupted their traditional way of life and some argued that this was yet another state attempt to steal their land.