A joint lawsuit over the deaths of five Orang Asli children who went missing in Pos Tohoi, Kelantan on Aug 23, 2015, has finally been given a hearing date from June 12-16.
Lawyer and Orang Asli rights advocate Siti Kasim told Malaysiakini that six law firms are working on the case pro bono.
"Briefly, we are claiming monetary compensation for negligence on the part of the authorities that led to the deaths and/or injuries suffered by the children, as well as their parents.
"We are also claiming declarations to uphold the rights of OA children and the community in respect of their education.
"The law firms on record are Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill, YH Teh & Quek, Yeap & Ang, Christopher & Lee Ong, Chong & Kheng Hoe," she said.
The sixth firm involved is her own Siti Kasim & Associates.
She said that the suits were initially filed on Aug 13, 2018, and the trial dates are set for June 12-16 this year, with the next case management on Jan 25.
In a case that garnered national attention, seven Orang Asli children went missing from their boarding school SK Pos Tohoi in Gua Musang in 2015.
They did so out of fear of being punished by their teacher for bathing in a nearby river without permission.
Two of the children, Noreen Yaakob and Miksudiar Aluj, were found barely alive on Oct 9, 2015, after 47 days.
However, Noreen's younger brother, Haikal, 9, and their friends Ika Ayel, 9, Juvina David, 7, Linda Rosli, 8, and Sasa Sobrie, 8, died during their ordeal in the jungle.
All four bodies, with the exception of Sasa's remains which were never found, were buried in a single grave in Kampung Penad, Gua Musang, on Oct 25, 2015.
The defendants include the government of Malaysia and the Education Ministry as well as officers from the Education Department, the Orang Asli Development Department, and the police, including officers involved during the search-and-rescue mission. - Mkini
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