JOHOR BARU – The placing of all Orang Asli settlement areas and reserves in Johor under “sultanate land” is seen as protecting and preserving such assets from being exploited by any party.
Johor Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) director Faisal Long said that it can also ensure that the community continues to enjoy development not only physically but also more comprehensively socioeconomically.
While admitting that he had received various complaints about the misuse of land from the Orang Asli community before, he said that his department would work with the state government to look after the reserve land after it was placed under sultanate land.
“When it can be taken care of by the state authorities, this measure can also ensure that no party encroaches and exploits the rights of the Orang Asli community, especially in this state,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Faisal said apart from complaints about encroachment and exploitation, there were also outside individuals and companies found to be doing illegal farming by opening oil palm and rubber plantations on a large scale for personal gain.
In addition, there are also parties that use Orang Asli by hiring them to collect agarwood on a large scale, dredge sand, search for valuable metals and hunt protected animals for commercial purposes, he said.
“Special discussions with Perhilitan and Tok Batin had been held last year. There are indeed animals that can be hunted not for commercial purposes, but rather for them to eat.
“But apparently, some among them are hired to find and hunt wild animals such as exotic animals to sell to irresponsible people…this (practice) exploited them. All this needs to be stopped immediately,” he said.
According to Faisal so far, there are 18,845 Orang Asli in Johor with 60 villages recognised and registered with Jakoa.
He said the department had advised the community and held a meeting with all Tok Batin on Tuesday to discuss and provide information on the placement of Orang Asli settlements and reserves in Johor under sultanate land.
“We hope they obey Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s order and cooperate with what the state government will do. Everything is for their good.
“If you want to do any kind of development and want to plant anything, please do…it won’t be a problem, but you have to apply first, including if you want to expand the land,” he said.
Faisal advised Orang Asli to apply through Jakoa or the Mining Office if they want their land area or reserves to be expanded.
Meanwhile, the Tok Batin of Kg Orang Asli Berasau, Kluang, Sari Achu said he supported the sultan’s order and the actions taken by the state government to protect the community’s land from being taken advantage of by irresponsible parties.
“For the well-being of the Orang Asli community, I strongly agree with the move. At the same time, the Orang Asli who have rights to continue farming as usual,” he said.
Yesterday, Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was reported to have said that the state government upholds and fully supports Sultan Ibrahim’s order to place all Orang Asli settlements and reserves in the state under sultanate land so that no party can do as they please.
Onn Hafiz was quoted as saying that in order to continue to protect and safeguard the rights of the Orang Asli in this state, existing laws will continue to be used such as the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134), the Sultanate Land Enactment 1934, the National Land Code (Act 828), the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) and Johor Land Rules 1966.
On March 16, in the opening speech of the Johor assembly, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his disappointment that a handful of Orang Asli had encroached on the government's forest reserve to turn it into large-scale rubber and palm oil plantations. – Bernama, April 6, 2023
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