He criticised PN for suddenly showing interest in the Orang Asli, a group he claims PN had largely ignored until now.

“I received reports from the community’s leaders that (PN’s representatives) are promising them ‘the moon and the stars’,” he told a press conference at BN’s main operations room in Bukit Cekati here.

Syahbuddin said PN’s engagement with the Orang Asli seems superficial, pointing out the lack of substantial allocations approved by the PAS-led state for the community.

He said the Orang Asli’s primary concern – their demand for customary land to be officially recognised – remained unresolved.

Syahbuddin, who is Galas assemblyman, accused the state government of stalling on the issue, saying that “they’ve been dragging their feet” on finding a solution.

He also cited reports of Orang Asli residents from five settlements in the interior here risking their lives daily for the past 40 years. They travel on an unpaved road, over 70km long, just to get out of the area, sharing the road with heavy lorries laden with logs.

Despite PN’s recent efforts, Syahbuddin expressed confidence that the Orang Asli voters would back BN, citing the coalition’s long-standing support for the community.

Yesterday, the state government pledged to address the Orang Asli’s concerns following a meeting with the Kelantan Orang Asli Villages Network and community leaders from 17 settlements.

Deputy menteri besar Fadzli Hassan acknowledged the community’s grievances, particularly regarding infrastructure, and vowed that the state government would look into these problems and resolve them to the best of its ability.