LAND OWNERSHIP ISSUE: 90 PCT OF ORANG ASLI AGREE TO FEDERAL CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS

GUA MUSANG, July 22 (Bernama) -- Ninety per cent of the Orang Asli community have agreed and provided positive feedback during engagement sessions regarding the proposed constitutional amendment on community land ownership, which is set to be tabled in Parliament in 2027.

Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Datuk Dr Ramli Mohd Nor said on a national scale, 219,000 Orang Asli had expressed their desire for the amendments to address this issue.

He said the majority of the Orang Asli reside in dispersed locations across Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, the Federal Territory, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu.

“Therefore, it can be said that 90 per cent of them agree in principle, which is a significant proportion,” he told reporters at the Perdana Batin and Orang Asli Village Development and Security Committee (JPKKOA) and Orang Asli Chiefs gathering for the Kelantan/Terengganu regions in Kuala Betis, here, today.

Besides Gua Musang in Kelantan, Ramli said similar engagement sessions have been held in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, West Pahang, Perak, Johor and Kedah, with more planned for Pahang.

He said the issue requires clear guidelines as it concerns the interests of the Orang Asli community.

“Land matters fall under state jurisdiction according to the government’s list of responsibilities. Therefore, this initiative will facilitate the claims of the Orang Asli community as it involves their customary land.

“Once all engagement sessions are completed, the matter will be presented to the Bar Council, then to the Cabinet, which will forward it to the Attorney General for review, and subsequently to the Conference of Rulers,” he said.

Ramli said the briefings aim to enhance understanding, and he called on Orang Asli Chiefs and JPKKOA to support the government's efforts to develop rural areas and guide the Orang Asli community in improving their standard of living.

-- BERNAMA