The Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Villages Coalition (JKOASM) is up in arms over Suhakam's failure to consult them over its report on native land rights to the federal government.

JKOASM representative NONE Nurmah Bk Mahat ( left ) said she was only informed about the completion of the report after hearing about it from a friend.

"We haven't seen the finalised report and we are in the dark over the 18 recommendations mentioned in the report which will be proposed to the government. This is unfair to us," she said.

Nurmah was speaking to reporters after she and other JKOASM representatives gatecrashed a ceremony yesterday where Suhakam chairperson Hasmy Agam handed the report to Paul Low, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Five JKOASM representatives were seen standing throughout the ceremony, despite there being a few empty seats at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM) auditorium, the event venue.

The report, titled National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples, is prepared by Suhakam after conducting a series of public inquiries last year in response to complaints about native land rights.

Nurmah also claimed that the report was mere window-dressing aimed at legitimising the government's handling of Orang Asli affairs.

"I think Suhakam is merely a tool utilised by the government to tell the world that they care for human rights. But the fact is, our voice have never been heard," said Nurmah, who hails from Negri Sembilan.

Amendment to Aborigines Act on hold

NONE Meanwhile, Low ( right ) told a press conference after the ceremony that IIM chairperson Mohd Tab Salleh will head a government task force that will look into the 18 recommendations made by Suhakam in the report.

"We will include non-governmental organisations representatives as well as relevant interest groups in the task force," he said, adding that there was no time frame given to the task force to carry out its duties.

Low said the government was trying to adapt a proactive approach to rectify the unsolved land problems faced by the indigenous peoples.

Asked if the government would amend the Aborigines Act 1954 , Low had assured that the amendments would put on hold until the task force completes its duties.

There have been concerns by indigenous groups that the Putrajaya seeks to amend the law in order to make it easier to acquire their land.

NONE Hasmy ( left ) told reporters that the report was the culmination of 18 months of fact-finding and consultation with Orang Asli groups and other interested parties.

He said that report also included a list of obstacles faced by indigenous peoples, such as problems with land acquisition and compensation.

On the delay in producing the report, which was supposed to be tabled during the Dewan Rakyat session in July, Hasmy said that the matter had frustrated him.

"However, I am happy that the government is taking initiative to form a task force over this matter," he added.

Previously, Suhakam had said that it was unable to table the document to the Dewan Rakyat because the Malay translation was not ready in time.