Senator calls for funds to protect Orang Asli villages from wild animals

 

Orang Asli settlements are at risk of encroachment by elephants, tigers and other wild animals. (Perhilitan pic)

PETALING JAYA: A senator has urged the government to take the safety of Orang Asli communities seriously and to allocate funds to enforce measures to protect their settlements from wild animals.

Ajis Sitin said this matter should be given due consideration in the upcoming Budget 2023.

He said cases of wild animals such as tigers and elephants entering Orang Asli settlements had been repeatedly raised to the authorities but nothing had been done.

Ajis said authorities should identify areas where wild animals were present and build barricades for the Orang Asli settlements.

“Right now, there are Orang Asli settlements where tigers can sleep near houses just like a stray dog,” he told FMT.

“Any area posing a risk of conflict between humans and animals should be barricaded.”

He also said it was possible that deforestation had caused wild animals to invade human settlements.

Early this month, a 39-year-old Orang Asli woman from Kampung Simoi Baru in Pos Betau near Kuala Lipis died after she was trampled by a wild elephant while sleeping in her house.

Ajis said a herd of elephants also entered Kampung Chenglek in Sungai Siput, Perak, last Sunday. He urged the authorities to relocate the elephants.

“I’ve raised this matter before in the last Dewan Negara session, but the relevant ministries did not take action,” he said. - FMT