JAKOA LIMITS ENTRY OF 4WD VEHICLES TO ORANG ASLI INTERIOR SETTLEMENTS

GUA MUSANG, July 22 (Bernama) -- The Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) is restricting the entry of four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles to Orang Asli interior settlements, especially during the monsoon season and in the event of attacks from wild animals.

Its director-general, Datuk Sapiah Mohd Nor said the JAKOA will issue a special notification to be released before the monsoon season in efforts to avoid road damage.

"JAKOA is not preventing NGOs (non-governmental organisations) from entering Orang Asli interior settlements but only limiting entry. We encourage entry because we know that NGOs help a lot in solving issues that cannot be addressed, for example in terms of medical assistance,” she told reporters in Kuala Betis here today.

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"Based on the uncertain weather, the JAKOA will issue instructions regarding entry because during the monsoon season many roads are damaged thus disrupting the delivery of health and education aid."

Sapiah said that if there is any aid to be channelled to the Orang Asli villagers in the interior, the NGOs can channel it through the JAKOA which will do so (channel) according to the schedule.

"If an area cannot be reached by road, we will then ask for helicopter assistance to deliver the aid as we have done so every year,” she also said.

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"Applications for permission to enter the Orang Asli villages for the purpose of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes must be submitted a month or two weeks before the programme."

-- BERNAMA