Decision on native land soon

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: State authorities will be asked to put decisions on land affecting indi­genous people on hold should the Cabinet approve the recommendations of a special task force.

The task force, set up to review the Human Rights Commission’s report on the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous People, also recommended that state authorities refer to a master list on traditional land ownership before making land decisions.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Paul Low said the Cabinet would make its decision in a week or two.

Asked if all 18 recommendations by Suhakam would be endorsed, he said it was not necessary because the issues were complex and many things had to be taken into account.

“The Cabinet has considered and reviewed all recommendations,” he told The Star.

He also said that there was no need for it to be tabled in Parliament.

“When the Cabinet approves it, we will then decide on the mechanism, framework and monitoring system to implement the re­­commendations,” he said.

Among the difficult issues that would be addressed included defining customary land and balancing national interest with justice for the indigenous people, said Low.

The task force also recommended that the communal land concept, apart from indivi­dual titles, be granted to orang asli and their land that had been identified to be reserved and gazetted.

It urged that a comprehensive study be carried out on the concept of “pegangan adat”(orang asal/asli traditions on land ownership and practices) before any law or policy was amended.

On Suhakam’s call for a redress mechanism, the task force had recommended that legal assistance be given to all cases involving such land.

In 2010, Suhakam conducted the inquiry following numerous complaints and memoranda from the indigenous community on the violation of their human rights, especially on customary land rights.

The Suhakam report was released in August 2013.

Orang asli homes torn down

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG AND KATHLEEN ANN KILI

Broken homes: A child crying in the middle of the village houses that were torn down by the authorities in Gunung Arong, Mersing, Johor. — Photo is taken by Tolo Lee.

MERSING: A group of orang asli women were about to start cooking when a group of 100-odd enforcement officers moved in to tear down eight wooden homes in the Gunung Arong forest reserve in Kampung Batu 10 on Tuesday, leaving 50 Jakun homeless.

The seven families are now living in makeshift tents by the roadside after their homes were torn down.

Village representative Awang Rambai, 49, said the operation involved more than 100 people, including police and Forestry Department officers.

“They told us to remove all our belongings and move into the jungle, or they would push down our homes and shoot our chickens and dogs,” he said.

Awang said the community had lived there for six years and claimed the right to the land and forest produce.

“We wrote to the department, the Mentri Besar’s office and even the Prime Minister, but we never got a proper reply,” he added.

Several months ago, the authorities had told them to move to Kampung Kerpan in Rompin but they refused as there was no source of income there “while the forest has depleted”.

“Here, I can do some farming and the forest is accessible. The government gave part of the forest reserve to loggers and miners, but why can’t they let us stay?” Awang, who used to live in Kota Tinggi in Johor and Rompin, asked.

His wife Kamisah Alan, 43, said she was about to start cooking when she saw a team of officers coming. Holding back tears, the mother of six said she grabbed whatever she could before heading out to help the other families when the team ordered them to get out.

Siu Begani, 35, who lost his disabled person’s identification card in the incident, said the orang asli had no choice but to sleep on the ground.

Siu, who lost his right leg in a mishap at work six years ago, said most of their daily provisions and children’s items were damaged.

“We barely make ends meet, and now, most of our things are gone. How are we to survive?” he said in between sobs.

Centre for Orang Asli Concerns public policy researcher/volunteer Chung Yi Fan said the orang asli only occupied a 2ha plot, which was nothing compared to that given to loggers and miners.

“The concern now is on the 20 to 30 schoolchildren. What is going to happen to them?” he said.

He said the state and federal governments needed to step in as it was their responsibility.

“They may enforce the law but they can’t demolish the houses and leave them (orang asli) out in the cold,” he said.

Chung said the authorities should not have acted in that manner, as it was not customary for orang asli to set up base in a village they did not belong to.

He said the group was “dumped” at the Pahang border about three years ago. “Why are they treated like animals?” he said.

The Jakun have long been living along south Pahang, mainly in Rompin and Pekan districts and central to northern part of Johor.

Johor forestry dept confirms levelling orang asli village

MERSING: The Johor Forestry Department has confirmed that the demolition of the orang asli village in Gunung Arong was done during a joint enforcement operation.

“The area that they have been living in is a permanent forest reserve, and does not belong to the orang asli. We have given them a year to move out.

“Despite issuing several notices, they are still reluctant to relocate.

“We have given them ample time and even referred them to the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa), but they still refused to move,” said state Forestry director Mohd Ridza Awang.

He said the operation, involving 113 officers from nine relevant agencies, was conducted in an orderly manner and the authorities aided the small community in evacuating whatever they could.

Among the agencies involved were the Forestry Department, police and Rela and the Mersing local council.

In Kuala Lumpur, Jakoa director-general Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the orang asli were from Pahang.

“Five houses are being built for them in Rompin, Pahang, and will be completed mid-next month,” he said, adding that he would investigate the matter as the department had earlier requested for the demolition to be delayed.

MCA: PAS like Taliban to control media

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: PAS is behaving like the Taliban who smashed television sets and forced Afghans to only listen to their propaganda, MCA Publicity Bureau chairman Senator Datuk Chai Kim Sen (pic) said in response to the party's move to restrict the media coverage of its muktamar.

It was reported that PAS would ban any media from covering its meeting for publishing “any news which should not have been reported and which causes a negative impact in the opinion of the PAS central committee."

Chai said the censorship that the PAS information and muktamar media committee had imposed on media reporting "only points to PAS’ fears of independent media reporting and that it does not want to improve on its weaknesses to benefit the rakyat, especially on hudud law."

He said for PAS to regard any news as “negative” was totally subjective and shows it could shift the goal post anytime according to its whims and fancy.

“For the avoidance of doubt and to prove its sincerity, then PAS should list down the types of articles it considers appropriate or offensive,” he said in a statement.

Chai said news reporting and commentaries were reported from different angles and it was the responsibility of the media to act as check-and-balance, at federal or state level.

Chai also asked if PAS wanted to prevent the media from reporting its deep internal chasm between the ultra-conservatives aligned to president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and the so-called Erdogan group supposedly led by Mohamad Sabu.

On dress code for media workers, Chai wants PAS to explain how a striped or chequered long-sleeve office or t-shirt worn by male media workers should be regarded as offensive.

“Similarly, so long as modesty is practised, PAS should not assert subtle pressure by imposing its conservative values on non-Muslim women to don the headscarf,” he said.

Activist loses battle with cancer

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Orang asli activist Arom Asir (pic), who fought against communist terrorists in the 1970s, has died of cancer.

He was 67.

According to the Facebook page of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, the deputy chairman of the Kelantan Orang Asli Village Committee breathed his last at 4.30pm on Saturday in Kampung Pos Bihai, Gua Mu­­sang, Kelantan.

His funeral was held at the same place yesterday.

Fondly known as Pakcik Arom, he used to don the uniform of the Senoi Praaq, the “Fighting Aborigines” unit of the then Police Field Force, now called the General Operations Force. Senoi Praaq started as a special project under the British during the First Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), with the first batch trained by the British Special Air Services.

A Temiar, Arom was engaged by the Government to fight the Communist Party of Malaya during the Second Emergency (1976-1989).

In 2009, the father of six was among a group of orang asli rights activists who worked with the Orang Asli Peninsula Network and COAC to raise awareness of the Temiar in Kelantan, who were threatened by logging and land encroachment.

Arom's grandson Dendi Johari said his grandfather cared about the problems that the orang asli in this country faced. Arom was once detained in 2012 for creating a blockade against logging in Kuala Betis, Kelantan.

Orang asli laud improved healthcare plans

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: The orang asli are happy with the promise of more access to medical specialists, but they also wish to be trained in basic medical care to serve their communities.

Kelantan orang asli village committee youth chief Dendi Johari said better access to specialists, mobile clinics and flying doctors’ services under the 11th Malaysia Plan was welcome.

He said in addition to this, the orang asli should also be trained as nurses, medical assistants and even doctors.

“This can overcome the lack of medical personnel in remote areas,” he said.

Currently, orang asli in the interior areas have to travel as far as 400km for treatment.

Dendi said that during the 1970s, Dr J.M. Bolton, who set up the Gombak hospital for orang asli, had trained many in the community to treat minor ailments, identify certain diseases and refer serious cases to hospitals.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had announced on Thursday that health services in remote areas would be improved to ensure good quality healthcare for all.

Centre for Orang Asli Concerns co-ordinator Dr Colin Nicholas said the orang asli could not afford transport costs to health facilities.

He said the transport provided by the Orang Asli Development Department was erratic as it did not have enough vehicles.

“The responsibility to transport the orang asli to hospitals should be handed over to the Health Ministry,” he said.

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Krishna Kumar commended the Government for its plans to enhance rural health but doubted if more specialists could be posted to rural areas as there was already a lack of specialists in urban government hospitals.

He said specialists did not want to go to rural areas because they faced difficulties sending their children to school.

“Unless there are good incentives to lure them, it will be a difficult move,” he said.

Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia president Dr Peter Chan said while improving healthcare service was much needed, diseases like tuberculosis needed to be addressed urgently.

“The Government needs to monitor illegal immigrants in the country more,” he said.

Asked how the ministry was going to overcome the lack of specialists in the government service, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said they had increased the number of scholarships given out for the Master’s programme to 1,000 doctors between last year and this year.

11MP: Better medical services in rural, remote areas

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: Rural and remote areas will have better access to medical specialists under the 11th Malaysia Plan.

Under the Improving 'Wellbeing for All' focus area, support for underserved communities would be enhanced as part of the Government's efforts to achieve universal access to quality healthcare.

Measures will include the deployment of more specialists and skilled personnel, the establishment of additional healthcare facilities in the areas of greatest need, and the expansion of outreach programmes such as mobile healthcare teams, flying doctor services, and village health promoters will be expanded to remote areas.

Domiciliary healthcare programmes will be expanded to include care programmes for patients who require long-term nursing upon early discharge, such as stroke patients.

Healthcare personnel will train family members and caregivers to care for these patients. NGOs will also be encouraged to participate and provide support and services to the patients and their families.

The Government will also implement the hospital cluster concept in selected locations, where hospitals within the same geographical location will work as one unit, sharing resources such as assets, amenities, and human resource.

The Government will implement the eHealth strategy, which incorporates existing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems into one, system-wide model to enhance health data management, and support research, development and commercialisation (R&D&C) initiatives.

A new focus area on enhancing road safety and emergency services will also be introduced as road accident fatalities remain high and increased from 6,877 fatalities in 2011 to 6,915 in 2013.

Driver negligence has been identified as the main cause of road accidents followed by road conditions and vehicle safety.

The Government aims to reduce the road fatalities index from 2.9 per 10,000 registered vehicles in 2013 to 2.0

by 2020 through the wider implementation of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) and the review of the Road Traffic Offences System (Kejara), which imposes heavier penalties on errant drivers.

First orang asli house goes up

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

Hard at work: Several orang asli volunteers constructing the first wooden house, with donations from Star Foundation and built by Insaf Malaysia, in Kampung Kuala Koh in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

 

GUA MUSANG: The first of 15 houses for the orang asli affected by the December floods was completed in four days.

The construction of the wooden house donated by Star Foundation in Aring 10 started last Tuesday and was completed by Friday.

Insaf Malaysia built the first house for the Batek tribe at Kampung Kuala Koh in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

“We built the house on higher ground as the orang asli do not want it at the foot of the hill,” said Insaf Malaysia president and founder Ishak Abdul Kadir.

The house with two rooms, a living area, dining corner and verandah, was one of two houses donated by Star Foundation. Another house will be built in two weeks’ time.

The foundation, a charitable arm of Star Publications (M) Bhd, has contributed RM50,000 for the houses, in addition to the eight homes built last year under The Star’sDo Good Volunteer programme, an initiative to promote volunteerism and raise awareness on worthy causes.

Ishak said when they first started to build these houses six years ago, the orang asli had expressed preference for wooden houses.

“They want the stilts three feet above ground so that their chickens and pets can be shaded from the sun and rain and the cooking area and toilet be placed away from the house,” he said.

Besides Star Foundation, the Ber­jaya Group also pledged two houses two months ago, while residents of Bukit Antarabangsa had given RM12,500.

Ishak said he wanted to build 15 houses for the Kuala Koh orang asli families and needed sponsors for another 11 houses.

Village head Hamdan, 50, said life was difficult for them as they had to move further into the jungle to look for food, wood and rattan without guarantee that they would end up with any after a week.

Three months after the flood, The Star had reported that the orang asli were still living in makeshift shelters.

Today, some five months after, many are still living in makeshift shelters although houses are gradually being built by the Government and NGOs.

Village committee member Ma­­mat, 40, said all 73 houses in their village were swept away by flood and only 15 families had remained.

Living in makeshift shelters for months had exposed many orang asli to environmental dangers.

Hanisah, 50, said the Taman Negara National Park had elephants, bears and wild boars but she chose not to think of the dangers as there was nothing she could do.

“The rain woke me up last. I could not sleep because the floor was completely wet,” she said.

Recipient of the house donated by Star Foundation Rahman Panjang, 38, said orang asli appreciated woo­den houses as they were cooler to live in.

Insaf still needs more sponsorship and volunteers to build another 11 houses under the project.

Contact insafmalaysia on Face­­book or ishakabdulkadir@gmail.com or call 03-4251 9444 for more information.