Orang Asli leader pins hopes on PH at national convention

Tok Batin Mohamad Nohing hopes the government will prioritise rural development.

PUTRAJAYA: An Orang Asli representative today urged the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to prioritise rural development and resolve land issues facing the community.

Speaking at the launch of the National Orang Asli Convention, which was attended by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mohamad Nohing said the 250,000-strong community lags far behind others.

Nohing, who is the Tok Batin or community leader of Bukit Rok in Bera, Pahang, said the community continues to face a loss of ancestral land due to lack of recognition by the previous administration.

“I hope the PH government, led by Tun (Mahathir), can resolve this problem.

“Land is like life to us, to continue surviving and to provide for our family,” he said, adding that most of the community reside in the interior where they live off the land.

Nohing voiced hope that the government would prioritise development in rural areas, including the provision of roads, electricity, and clean water, and the restoration of dilapidated schools.

He said the development of land managed by government agencies such as Felcra and the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) should be reviewed to meet the objective of enhancing the livelihood of settlers.

As for housing, he said, there are instances where two or three Orang Asli families live in the same house.

He added that there are Orang Asli who cannot participate in the Rumah Mesra Rakyat scheme as they are unable to fulfil the necessary conditions. He appealed to Putrajaya to develop a mechanism that would allow them to qualify for the scheme.

In his speech, Mahathir said the government had already begun initiatives to ensure the socioeconomic development of the Orang Asli, as promised in PH’s manifesto.

The convention, which is being attended by over 1,000 people including Orang Asli leaders, representatives from NGOs, academics and government officials, will see the discussion of issues related to the community.

The convention is a step towards the creation of a National Orang Asli Development Plan.

Also present today was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waytha Moorthy. - FMT