Their community leader Razali Kulim, alleges that half of this Muslim-majority neighbourhood in Kampung Lalang, Ulu Legong, made up of 78 families, are addicts.
“I think I can say half of the members in my community are addicted to alcohol and sniffing glue.
“It is because even the children and the women — mothers — are into it,” he told FMT.
Razali, 37, known as Tok Batin among his people, said he was about 12 when drinking alcohol and sniffing glue became popular habits in his community.
He said outsiders had introduced these substances to the community, and both the young and old got hooked.
For years, attempts were made to help the addicts recover from their addictions, with advice and counselling by the Orang Asli Department, he said.
“None of it worked because the glue and alcohol were so easily available. There is a grocery shop in town, just about 1km away, that sells them. You can just walk there.
“The shop is not even supposed to sell alcohol. I had a meeting at the district office once and was told there are no shops in Kampung Lalang with a licence to sell alcohol.”
If that was not enough, Razali said there were also people who sometimes rode into his village and sold glue and alcohol from their motorcycles.
“How do you get the people to end their addictions when they can get these substances so easily? I am at my wit’s end.”
The Orang Asli community there are folks living simple lives. Many earn a living doing odd jobs in the village, work in farms and tap rubber. Once they have a little money, those with the addictions will head for the grocery shop.
Razali, who is self-employed, said it was common to see a line of Orang Asli people at the grocery shop, waiting in turn to buy alcohol and glue.
“We need all the help we can get to put a stop to this for the wellbeing of the community.”
The Kansiue Orang Asli’s problem with glue sniffing and alcoholism in Baling was highlighted by the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) earlier this week following Razali’s request for help.
A one-day survey by the association was conducted about two weeks ago. CAP staff found Orang Asli adults, women included, and children buying alcohol and glue at RM5 each from a grocery shop in town.
In its statement highlighting the gravity of the issue, CAP said more than 30 women and children, aged nine to 15, were found to be consuming the substances. Users spend up to RM25 a day to satisfy their addictions.
CAP field officer Zulkifli Yusuf, who was in Baling for the survey and to interview locals about the problem, said the grocery shop “reserved” the items for the Orang Asli.
“To investigate, I went into the shop asking for glue and alcohol. I was turned away. The cashier said there was none. But for the Orang Asli, he had the goods,” he told FMT.
Zulkifli said CAP was writing to the Kedah government, Baling district council, Orang Asli Department, youth and sports ministry and the police to stop the sale of glue and alcohol to the community.
Kedah women development, social welfare, agriculture and agro-based industry, and entrepreneur development committee chairman Suraya Yaakob told FMT she would check into CAP’s revelations.
“Let me check first before I respond,” she said when asked what the state government could do to help the Orang Asli community end the problem of addiction among its people.