KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — The government is conducting a review of the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134) which, among others, involve registering marriage and land ownership of the Orang Asli community.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said as a start, a legal framework development study and mechanism for the administration of Orang Asli marriage and divorce customs in Peninsula Malaysia commenced on September 15.
“The issue of Orang Asli land which will also be considered in the review of Act 134, needs to be studied comprehensively as it involves differences as well as overlapping authorities involving the Federal and state governments,” he said when winding up the debate on the Mid-Term Review of the 12 Malaysia Plan (12MP MTR) at Dewan Rakyat today.
Apart from that, Ahmad Zahid who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the strategy to bring progress to the Orang Asli community has been outlined in the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) strategic plan to focus on the socio-economic development of the Orang Asli community.
The plan is being drafted in an effort to raise the quality of life by providing comprehensive infrastructure in all Orang Asli villages.
On Orang Asli students, 350 Orang Asli students were accepted into universities last year, which exceeded the original ministry target of 300 people.
“For the following year (2023), we are targeting 400 students, and we are monitoring this time, as we are confident of getting almost 500 Orang Asli students into universities.
“This is a social assimilation method which is carried out through the restructuring of the Orang Asli community, and we will not compromise on the quality of education for Orang Asli in the best possible ways,” he added.
— Bernama
