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How much aid have Orang Asli asked of you - activist to Perak MB
Published:  Nov 25, 2018 3:39 PM
Updated: 8:35 AM
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Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu has been challenged to state exactly how much aid Orang Asli in the state have asked for to justify his "humiliating" advice to the community. 

Faizal has been on the receiving end of criticism after urging Orang Asli to forsake the "culture of expecting outsiders to provide items and help them", and to improve their settlements before the state government can consider approving aid.

Activist and Minority Rights Action Party (Mira) vice-president Ramesh Arumugam Chettiar stated that indigenous communities have never begged for any form of state aid, stressing that "the Orang Asli have pride".

"Don't insult the Orang Asli this way with such a statement intended to humiliate the community in Perak and Malaysia.

"Why would the Perak menteri besar make such a statement when Pakatan Harapan has promised a 'New Malaysia'?

"How much help have the tens of thousands of Orang Asli in the whole of Perak asked of you to this day? From what I've been told by dozens of Orang Asli villages – until now, nothing," he said in a statement today.

'No clean water'

Ramesh pointed out that Faizal's own constituency of Chenderiang comprises 24 percent Orang Asli from some 45 villages.

"All they have asked for concerns land issues and basic facilities, which is stated in the Harapan manifesto, and which he himself promised to the people of Perak."

As an example, Ramesh claimed that to date, many Orang Asli villages were without clean water, such as in Kampung Pawong in Simpang Pulai.

The village was also recently affected by a large crack appearing in the ground, which he alleged the Perak government has not addressed. 

'See for yourself'

On Friday, Faizal called on Orang Asli in Perak to look for alternative sources of income and not depend on aid. 

"The government is ready to help, but we are asking them to forget about the culture of expecting outsiders to provide items and help them.

"And if they feel their village has potential to be a tourist attraction, then I suggest that they improve their settlements first, then we might consider approving the help they require," Bernama reported him as saying.

Lawyer Siti Kasim lashed out at Faizal in response, deeming his advice an "insult".

“The Perak menteri besar should go to the ground and see the reality of the Orang Asli’s lives before insulting them," she said.

“The Orang Asli are the most self-sustainable people in comparison to other communities. They can survive even if they had no money.

“The continued destruction of the forest on their ancestral land aided by the authorities is the main problem."

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