JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 8 — The unity government is drafting various development and education plans for the Orang Asli community in the peninsula.
Orang Asli Entrepreneur and Economic Development Secretariat chairman Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor said the effort is to ensure the group is not left behind.
He said the interests of the Orang Asli community must continue to be preserved in line with the group’s special position as enshrined in Article 8(5)(c) of the Federal Constitution.
“For the Orang Asli community in the outskirts, such as in the Pulai parliamentary constituency, there is a lot of room for (development), compared with those (Orang Asli) in the interior.
“If we want to bring development in terms of infrastructure (in the interior), that is difficult and involves high expenses. Here (in Pulai), everything is already there, the community just has to take the opportunity provided by the state Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) and the government,” he said.
He said this to reporters after visiting Kampung Orang Asli Bakar Batu here today. Also present was Johor Jakoa director Faisal Long.
Ramli, who is also Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker, said among the plans made with the state Jakoa director was the provision of basic assistance, education and road repairs.
The Cameron Highlands MP said he hopes representatives elected in the by-elections on Saturday can continue to fight for the local Orang Asli community.
In Pulai, there are two Orang Asli villages — Kampung Orang Asli Bakar Batu and Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Temon.
Jakoa said 289 residents from 74 families live in Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Temon and 211 residents from 52 families live in Kampung Orang Asli Bakar Batu, of which a majority are fishermen.
Of the total, 187 residents of Sungai Temon and 119 from Bakar Batu are eligible to vote in the Pulai parliamentary by-election.
The Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections were called after the death of incumbent Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.
— Bernama
