He said such land will not become the personal property of the state’s ruler, adding that the reigning sultan will be the custodian of the reserve land to protect the rights and interests of the Orang Asli.

Onn Hafiz said this is to ensure the Orang Asli can use and enjoy forest produce as specified under the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954.

“Land gazetted as sultanate land will not become the personal property of the Johor ruler,” he said in a statement today.

He said this move was suggested by Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar following reports of third parties intruding into the reserve land to cultivate illegally for commercial purposes, using the Orang Asli as guides to hunt protected wildlife, and also carry out illegal logging and mining.

“We hope that no one will try to challenge the decision or cause confusion among the community by misrepresenting the government’s noble efforts,” he said.

At the opening of the Johor state assembly on March 16, Sultan Ibrahim suggested that the state government classify all Orang Asli settlements and reserves in the state as sultanate land to prevent them from being misused.

He said this was necessary because some third parties have used the land to turn state forest reserves into large-scale oil palm and rubber plantations.

Orang Asli reserves are protected under the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, which states that such land cannot be alienated or disposed of, except for the Orang Asli who live on such land.

State governments, however, can revoke such land status.