http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/5/6/central/3834222&sec=central
THE Selangor Government will make sure that all land belonging to the orang asli in the state is gazetted and the grant issued to them, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said.
He said the responsibility of carrying out the task had been given to the newly-set up Orang Asli Land Task Force.
Launched on Monday, the task force is chaired by Simpan Suda with representatives from all the orang asli communities.
Former land task force chairmen Dr Tan Kee Kwong and Datuk Dr Nik Mohd Zain are also involved in the task force as consultants.
Khalid said the setting up of the task force was expected to resolve all the pending land issues involving the orang asli community. It is also to acknowledge the rights of the orang asli.
Marking the occasion: Khalid (right) signing on the plaque at the launch of the Orang Asli Land Task Force as Simpan Suda (left) and state executive councillors look on.
“We hope to be able to get feedback from all the parties involved, and suggestions on how to solve all the land issues pertaining to the orang asli.
“But, most importantly, we are listening to all their problems and their suggestions will be heard during the upcoming state assembly session,” he said after the launch held at the State Secretariat Building in Shah Alam.
Khalid also hoped that the task force would foster a stronger relationship with the orang asli, who had been marginalised from the mainstream of development.
He said despite having lived in the country for so long, the orang asli community still had to fight for their rights to the land inherited from their ancestors.
Among the problems faced by the community are compensation issues concerning acquired land, development and the process involved in protecting and gazetting the oang asli reserved land.
“The state is trying to continue protecting their heritage, including returning what was theirs and acknowledging their rights as citizens.
“The state government also promises to ensure that all aspects of their tradition, culture and beliefs are preserved despite the development projects we are carrying out,” he said.
The first step taken was to withdraw the Federal Court appeal in the Sagong Tasi case, which involved the acquisition of about 15ha of orang asli land in Bukit Tampoi, Dengkil.
“The withdrawal means the state has agreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision to compensate the orang asli according to the Land Acquisition Act,” Khalid said.
In the Sagong Tasi case, the authorities had acquired the land to build the Kuala Lumpur-Nilai highway in 1995.
Sagong and six others are the respondents in the case involving their customary rights over the land in Dengkil.
They sued the then Selangor and Federal Governments, the Malaysian Highway Authority and United Engineers (M) Bhd for loss of their land and dwellings.
In 2002, the Shah Alam High Court ruled in their favour and the case went to the Court of Appeal.
In 2005, the Court of Appeal upheld the Shah Alam High Court’s decision to declare the seven as customary owners of the land.
According to Khalid, there are about 15,000 orang asli in Selangor, with the largest population living in Sepang and Kuala Langat.
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