IPOH – About 200 residents in an Orang Asli village in Kg Sg Sinju in Simpang Pulai near here have been ordered to move out from the area to make way for the planting of Musang King durians by a company.
Tok Batin Alang Apok Sitam, 66, claimed that about 163 residents were served the notice to vacate the land last February 23.
He said they were given 30 days from the day the notice was served to do so.
“It’s not that we don’t want to move out, but where can we go?
We have been staying in the village for ages and now a developer has crept into the area, claiming that they have been issued a land grant for five acres and want us to vacate the area for them to carry out the Musang King durian planting project,” he said.
He told reporters this after handing over complaints on trespassing into Orang Asli Customary Land to a representative from the Perak Menteri Besar’s Office here today.
Alang said he only realised certain quarters had trespassed into the village on September 26 last year after noticing two heavy machineries clearing the site.
He said he then contacted the individual who claimed to be the land owner and also lodged a report with the police, the Orang Asli Development Department and the Land Office.
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, who is also the State Islamic Religion, Finance, Security, Land, Natural Resources, Economic Planning and Government-Linked Companies Committee chairman, when contacted by Bernama, said he had received the complaints from the Orang Asli residents.
“I have minuted the matter to the exco concerned for an investigation to be conducted,” he added. – Bernama, Match 6, 2023
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