The Orang Asli community in Gua Musang are waging a struggle to preserve their ancestral land in Kelantan from the onslaught of loggers. What do BN and PR politicians have to say?
Why can’t they wait until the Orang Asli community there have completed mapping their lands so that the state government can gazette them?
Yesterday, police in Kelantan arrested about a dozen people, including Siti Kasim, the lawyer from the Bar Council’s Committee for Orang Asli Rights. They were all released late last night.
The struggle continues. Of course, we can’t expect much from the BN federal government, given its appalling record in Sarawak. But what is the stand of the Kelantan government on Orang Asli native customary rights land?
I would have thought Pakatan state administrations would show a more enlightened, progressive approach to native land rights. Remember how the Pakatan state government in Selangor was lauded – and rightly so – for supporting the Orang Asli in their struggle there.
So what’s happening in Kelantan then, Nik Aziz? This coming so soon after Kedah MB Azizan’s disturbing support for the use of the UUCA on five college students. Not very encouraging.
Is it Big Business/Corporations/Money first, people last?
We need a royal commission of inquiry to look into Orang Asli land rights, said human rights lawyer Edmund Bon. He tweeted: “demand we rethink OA land rights and treatment of them. They are the worst off in society and we keep oppressing them.”
“(An) RCI will investigate complaints and most imptly push thru community mapping for all ancestral lands.”
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Who ultimately owns this “Ladang Rakyat” project? Without that information, it’s hard to assess this case. Nonetheless, the PAS led state government is also planning to convert over 200,000 ha of forest reserves into rubber mono culture plantations. It’s understandable why they would do that – being denied oil revenue by BN at Federal level – but if this is the answer to that problem, it’s the wrong answer. Not to mention that many of these rubber projects are (allegedly) closely related to Kelantan state agencies, including the CM’s office.
There are many secondary forest areas in lowland Kelantan, but why must it be the ‘virgin’ forest reserves becoming the next victim of greedy agro-development for commodity production for state revenue? Are there no revenue alternatives like eco-tourism? Haven’t we seen (enough) many of our pristine rainforest raped for their ‘forced’ conversion to hills after hills of oil palm cultivation? Aren’t we learning from our neighbor Indonesia where wanton, unplanned land use for commercial purposes has resulted in annual haze ‘production’ unseen in the early 70’s or extinction and coming extinction of many species of rare wildlife? We hold the… Read more »
Mr. Anil,
Did I meet you at Queen Street, Penang, yesterday, around 2.30 pm? Infront of Tajuddin Hussain? We spoke to each other?
No, it wasn’t me. I wasn’t in town then.
I wonder who you met!
Blatant misuse of “certain” policies.
Funny…how the bumiputera policy should help the Orang Aslis. If Pakatan wants to win more votes, listen to their plight and do what’s right.
Some time ago, I heard from a Kelantanese friend of mine that this matter may not be as simple as it often seems to be.
Apparently there are two personalities involved who are “above” the normal day to day administration of the law, and both BN and Pakatan would find it very, very difficult to take action against them.
Over the last coupld of years, sniplets of news have surfaced which tend to back my my friend’s allegation.
Hopefully the PAS-led state governement will act strongly enough to protect the rights of the Temiang.
Who resided first in this land? The Orang Asli has never been given a respite in their way of life since the immigration of ‘others’ from nearby lands for hundreds of years – the so-called civilized and educated ‘others’ are unashamedly murderous, slave takers, cheaters and land grabbers. Even the culture of Orang Asli is open to ‘corruption’ by these civilized mankind in the name of modernization and progress. They have no freedom of choice but are forced to submit to these uncivilized infringement of lifestyle, Nature and culture. Gua Musang is one of the last frontiers of inroads into… Read more »
who has been marginalised in Msia ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfcaGZeb1Jw&w=400
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMslfgASZBA&w=400
While I am a strong supporter of Pakatan Rakyat, the inconsistencies in the administering of their respective states are a cause for concern. Of particular concern is the mental state of both Azizan and Nik Aziz. These two leaders are too old to lead and should give way, while maintaining an advisory status. Really, their flip floppings are an embarassments to Pakatan Rakyat, especially, when many are looking towards PAS to replace UMNO! Hadi Awang had taken the lead, Nik Aziz and Azizan should follow. There are lots of capable second echelon leaders in PAS and they should move forward.… Read more »