‘Sultanate land' not the answer to Johor Orang Asli land issue – CAP

 

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has backed a Johor Orang Asli group in rejecting a proposal to convert the latter's lands into "sultanate land".

CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said other solutions were needed to address the issue at hand.

"This (sultanate land) suggestion is not the best solution as there are already several acts aimed at protecting permanent forest reserves and Orang Asli rights in the state," he said in a statement today.

Mohideen (above) also supported Johor Network of Orang Asli Villages (JPOAJ) chairperson Dolah Tekoi’s view that there was no need for the land to be converted to sultanate land as the community's reserves are already protected by the Aboriginal Peoples Act and National Land Code - laws which apply nationwide.

On March 16, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar urged the Johor state government to classify all Orang Asli settlements and reserves in the state as sultanate land to avoid the land from being misused.

The Johor ruler said it was necessary because some Orang Asli had turned state forest reserves into large-scale oil palm and rubber plantations.

Johor Ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar

Orang Asli reserves are protected under the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, which states that such land cannot be alienated or disposed of, except for the Orang Asli who live on such land.

State governments, however, can revoke such land status.

Meanwhile, under Section 2 of Johor's Sultanate Lands Enactment, land classified as sultanate land belongs to the ruler and is not considered state property.

The enactment also provides that no part of the sultanate land can be sold, leased, or disposed of except with the sultan's written permission.

Reserve land is already protected under the Aboriginal Peoples Act and the National Land Code.

Two weeks ago, the Johor Forestry Department said it had detected 10 permanent forest reserves that had been illegally explored - allegedly by Orang Asli and outsiders.

Commenting on this, Mohideen said it was worrying this had occurred but posited whether it was due to enforcement issues.

"The illegal encroachment of permanent forest reserves may be due to lack of enforcement and weaknesses in enforcing laws, which needs to be stepped up and enforced sternly by the government," he said.

Mohideen also urged the MACC to investigate if any outsiders were involved in such encroachment. - Mkini