Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan today handed over house keys to 29 Orang Asli families of Kampung Palebar Baru in Pasir Panjang, near Port Dickson.

The initiative was the first planned housing scheme in Malaysia for the Orang Asli community.     

“The Orang Asli housing project in Kampung Palebar Baru, developed by Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd, is a manifestation of the state government’s aspiration and policy, in wanting to see all the people enjoy the state’s development together,” he said at a press conference after the ceremony.

Also present were Department of Orang Asli Development Malaysia (Jakoa) director-general Hasnan Hassan, and Matrix Concepts chairperson Mohamad Haslah Mohamad Amin.

The menteri besar said the community had been paid compensation and temporarily relocated to two-storey terraced houses in Taman Gadong Jaya, Labu, after their land in Kampung Palebar Lama was purchased by Matrix Concepts.

“In addition to 1,200 sq ft semi-detached houses, they were also given a 2.023 heactares of farm land which had been planted with oil palm,” he said.

Mohamad said the state government had gazetted 29 Orang Asli settlements in forest reserves in the state, to look after the welfare of the community.

“This is an assurance to the Orang Asli community that they would not face any inteference and encroachment of their villages in the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hasnan said Jakoa was also in the midst of identifying Orang Asli land which could be developed, to further raise their value.

- Bernama