KUALA LUMPUR — The Selangor government has been urged to respect the rights of the Orang Asli in light of its decision to evict the Mah Meri people from the Kampung Orang Asli Bagan Lalang, Sepang recently.
MCA National Youth Committee Member Siew Shen Kae said the decision to develop the area may be just a business opportunity for the Pakatan Harapan-led state government but completely disrupts the livelihoods of the indigenous people residing in the area.
“The Mah Meri people purportedly understand that they do not have absolute rights over the land despite it being their home for 20 years.
“However, the demand by Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) to vacate their homeland without any prior negotiations and arrangements is simply inhumane.
“Besides that, the issue also raises the question of the value of economic development, compared to the basic human rights of the Mah Meri community,” he said in a statement.
Siew said that while the project enriches the Selangor state government’s coffers, it will be at the expense of the Mah Meri people.
“Moreover, whether the project will significantly impact the environment also remains unknown.”
The state government, he said, should at least be responsible for the villagers affected, such as compensating them at market value, providing alternative residence and relevant assistance, instead of only focusing on their own gains.
“Hence, I urge everyone who empathises with the Mah Meri villagers to join the petition against the state government, to pressure them and demand an appropriate response,” he added.
Those who object to the relocation may refer to the petition.
Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has refuted media reports that PNSB evicted the Mah Meri people from a village in Bagan Lalang to develop a tourism project.
In a statement on May 14, he said the three plots of land occupied by the Mah Meri are not an Orang Asli village, but a temporary post to facilitate their commute between their home villages and Bagan Lalang, where they work.
He reiterated that PNSB followed the necessary procedures and laws to reclaim the land encroached on, while negotiating with villagers to ensure they are taken care of.
The issue cropped up in 2017 after a random site check was conducted by PNSB.
“Following this, PNSB held discussions with the Sepang district land office on November 27, 2020 and April 12, 2021.
“Notices to the villagers were issued on April 20 with no objections,” said Amirudin.
“The Orang Asli agreed to the eviction notice, and only wanted more time to relocate.”
The Vibes also reported yesterday that the eviction will be put on hold until a solution is found.
According to Sg Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu, his office has informed state linked PNSB’s CEO to temporarily halt the enforcement of the eviction notice.
On Friday, PNSB, in a statement, said it is open to considering the tribe’s request for an extension.
“The notice to clear the land, which was issued on April 20, is more of a notice to residents concerning the position of the structures they have built that have encroached on PNSB land.”
The state’s investment arm also confirmed receiving an appeal letter from the chief of Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkong, a nearby village.
“PNSB confirms receipt of an appeal letter by the village head of Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkong on April 26, requesting more time to vacate the land.
“Based on the letter, PNSB is open to negotiations and is ready to consider their request for (more) time, taking into account various aspects.”
It said the land concerned is not ancestral or historical for the Mah Meri, and whatever decisions made have adhered to procedures and laws.
When The Vibes visited Kg Orang Asli Bagan Lalang last month, residents said most of them came from Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkong.
Tinya Anak Antan, the first settler in Kg Orang Asli Bagan Lalang, said she built the first hut in the village for herself as it is too far to cycle from her home village to her workplace. – The Vibes, May 16, 2021
