PSM activist criticises 'election-oriented' Orang Asli convention

PSM activist Suresh Kumar has criticised Pakatan Harapan's decision to hold an Orang Asli convention on the eve of nomination day for the Cameron Highlands by-election.

Suresh said while such a convention was a good idea to brainstorm about the needs of the Orang Asli community, the rushed timing appeared to be geared for the by-election.

"I think that's quite a rush, it is a campaign for the election.

"You see, Malaysia has 18 Orang Asli tribes, they speak 18 languages and you have to gather them for the conference. That will definitely take some time," he said in a interview with Malaysiakini today.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy announced the convention after visiting Cameron Highlands today.

This was after DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, who was visiting Orang Asli villages over three days since Sunday, called for such a convention to address the needs of the Orang Asli community.

The Orang Asli community make up around 20 percent of the Cameron Highlands electorate.

The by-election was called after the parliamentary constituency's May 9 result was voided by the Election Court which found evidence of vote-buying.

Suresh was a long-time activist in Cameron Highlands. He had contested in the parliamentary seat during the May 9 general election but lost. He does not intend to contest in the upcoming by-election.

Suresh noted that Harapan also plans to bring all the Orang Asli "tok batin" together to discuss the needs of their community.

However, Suresh said this may not be the best idea as the village chiefs had since BN era developed a culture of only saying good things about the government and may not be honest about what's happening within their communities.

"They don't really give the picture of what's happening in the villages, they just give the picture that pleases you.

"The Batin mindset has been like that (since) BN's (time).

"Even now, if you ask the Batin what does your village need, they would say they already have everything and give thanks to the government," he said.

Therefore, Suresh said Harapan needs to call on the Orang Asli activists and the younger generation in the villages.

"But if you go with the same method that BN has done, you will only get praises and so on," he said.

Suresh added that he hoped there would be concrete follow-ups to whatever is decided during the convention. - Mkini