Don’t confuse Orang Asli community over Sultanate land issue, says Johor MB

JOHOR BARU: People should not question or confuse the Orang Asli community with regards to the gazetting of their land as Sultanate land, says Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

The Johor Mentri Besar said that land designated as Sultanate land did not mean that the land would then belong to Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

“The Johor Ruler becomes the custodian for this land reserve and will continue to take care of the welfare and interest of the Orang Asli,” he said, adding that no party could then exploit or misuse this reserve.

He added that the Orang Asli community could still use the land and harvest forest resources as stated under the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134).

“Please do not hide and twist the noble intentions of the state government,” he said, adding that the Johor government supported the move to gazette the Orang Asli land as Sultanate land.

He urged those who needed clarification to get in touch with the Johor Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

Onn Hafiz acknowledged that the state government received many complaints about Orang Asli being exploited by irresponsible people for their own personal gains.

“This includes the illegal cultivation of Orang Asli land for commercial purposes, some being used as guides for hunting and some hired to illegally extract sandalwood and other precious metals,” he added.

Onn Hafiz said that the state government was concerned about the exploitation and would continue to use the necessary laws to protect the Orang Asli including Act 134, Sultanate Land Enactment 1932, National Land Code, Johor Land Code 1966 and Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

In a recent exclusive interview with The Star, Sultan Ibrahim said steps were needed to be taken to address the exploitation of Orang Asli in the state by outsiders.

Sultan Ibrahim said the Orang Asli community in Johor was well taken care of as the government has built roads, houses, schools and surau. Some places even have Internet facilities.

“However, some of them have even cut down up to 300 acres (121ha) of land for timber or to plant rubber trees or oil palm.

“Where do they get the money to carry out such activities?” he said.

He added that even his own estates, covering more than 100 acres (40ha), had been encroached on.

“They claim it is tanah rayau (an ancestral burial ground). I do not chase them out.

“I have allowed them to harvest their crops and then leave. In the meantime, they do not need to pay rent to me,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim said that as the custodian of the Orang Asli in the state, he suggested that their land be made sultanate land, similar to national parks, which can prevent exploitation.

The Ruler said a group of lawyers, who had previously taken the government to court in Bekok, were involved in similar cases in Kuala Masai and Kampung Peta.

Sultan Ibrahim said he was aware of the locations of the Orang Asli settlements statewide, as it was his great-great-grandfather, Sultan Abu Bakar, who had placed them at these places. - Star