Orang Asli group rejects Kelantan govt compensation offer for Nenggiri Dam project

 

An association for Orang Asli in Kelantan today rejected the state government’s offer to pay compensation to villagers affected by a project to build the Nenggiri Dam in Gua Musang.

In a statement, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan (JKOAK) described the offer as insufficient as the Kelantan state government is only going to pay for the villagers’ crops and does not cover the losses they have to suffer from losing what the Orang Asli claims as their ancestral land.

The group also rejected a claim that the majority of affected Orang Asli have agreed to the dam project.

“As of the time this statement is issued, more than 3,000 Orang Asli continue to protest against the building (of the dam), because our community believe it would only bring more harm than good.

“JKOAK also regards the compensation to be paid out as insufficient with the amount of damage and hardship that Orang Asli would have to face.

“The proposed compensation is also not in line with court decisions on cases involving Orang Asli ancestral land, as the mechanism only covers crops that would be destroyed, without taking into consideration the amount of compensation for the affected ancestral land,” said the group’s chairperson Mustafa Along.

Mustafa’s statement came in response to Kelantan exco member Azami Mohd Nor, who three days ago said that the state government will provide compensation, employment and business opportunities to the Orang Asli community affected by the Nenggiri Dam construction project.

Azami also reportedly said that he expected the project to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

Mustafa however stressed that compensation was not the main reason why they are against the project.

According to him, the community just does not want to see the land and forest area which they have called home to be destroyed.

Mustafa said the group would be sending a memorandum to the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, hoping that the federal government would cancel the project.

Previously, the hydroelectric project had received criticism from the Orang Asli community in the area, with more than 3,000 residents signing a memorandum objecting to the proposed dam on grounds that the project would have a significant impact on the environment and submerge their native customary lands. - Mkini