TAPAH – To date, a total of 784 Orang Asli residents in Bidor, who are under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO), have tested positive for Covid-19 and eight have succumbed to the virus.
Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the data was based on the Batang Padang district health office screening on 5,165 residents in Kg Senta, Kg Chang and Kg Sanding during the EMCO period, which came into effect yesterday.
“We will take full control until the health office completes the screening of the Orang Asli population in the Batang Padang district,” he told reporters after inspecting the implementation of EMCO at Batu 7, Jalan Pahang, here today.
On Monday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the EMCO was implemented on 23 Orang Asli villages of the Semai tribe in the Batang Padang district, starting yesterday until August 24.
Meanwhile, Mior said his team had not received any reports of Orang Asli residents using “rat lanes” to escape EMCO areas.
He said the residents had been briefed on the effects and consequences of violating the law as the village area did have many rat lanes. However, it has been observed that the public is cooperating with the authorities working in the EMCO areas.
Meanwhile, the Orang Asli in these areas are also allowed to market their farm produce, on the condition that these must be delivered to the nearest EMCO control post to be picked up by wholesalers or buyers.
He said permission has been given for this because the authorities do not want the Orang Asli people, who make a living selling their produce, to suffer losses due to dumping and damage to their crops.
“We have had discussions with several parties and we have agreed to allow Orang Asli residents to send their crops to the control post as they are strictly not allowed to leave the EMCO area,” he added. – Bernama, August 12, 2021
