Remarking on how the federal government’s promise to provide welfare services to the community had still not been fulfilled, he added, “The big issue plaguing the Orang Asal is their right to own customary land which must be solved as soon as possible.”
“The government should also provide an integrated development programme to address problems involving their spiritual and physical development,” he said, pointing out that many still lived without water and electricity supply in their villages.
He accused the federal government of not being serious about tackling the problems of indigenous people and with only making false promises right before the elections. “It’s only their votes which are needed during the elections season,” he told FMT.
Orang Asli activist Yusri Ahon who is vice president of JOAS, the indigenous peoples network of Malaysia, has claimed more than half the indigenous communities across the country would reject Umno and BN in the coming elections as many promises made by them had yet to be fulfilled.
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