ADUN SPEAKS | Shame on PN govt for ignoring Orang Asli
ADUN SPEAKS | I more than agree with Orang Asli activists that money alone cannot resolve the long-standing problems faced by the Orang Asli community in Malaysia.
During the British colonial period, the Orang Asli community was given token respect in providing intelligence to check the armed insurrection of the communists.
They were given accolades as good jungle trackers in hunting down communists insurgents.
With the insurrection over, the post-colonial government, apart from creating agencies to manage the affairs of the Orang Asli, had nothing substantial in the way of respecting the dignity of the Orang Asli community.
Under pressure, Orang Asli reserves were created...
ADUN SPEAKS | I more than agree with Orang Asli activists that money alone cannot resolve the long-standing problems faced by the Orang Asli community in Malaysia.
During the British colonial period, the Orang Asli community was given a token of respect in providing intelligence to check the armed insurrection of the communists.
They were given accolades as good jungle trackers in hunting down communists insurgents.
With the insurrection over, the post-colonial government, apart from creating agencies to manage the affairs of the Orang Asli, had nothing substantial in the way of respecting the dignity of the Orang Asli community.
Under pressure, Orang Asli reserves were created, but then with the march of time and overpowering greed, these areas could not contain the spread of the ugly face of capitalism, the lure of timber and mines.
The Orang Asli population is a small one, about 200,000 or less, split into various tribal groups.
In comparison with other ethnic groups in the country, the Orang Asli community is the poorest, lacks basic education, where children are malnourished, and with high infant and adult mortality rates.
It is not that the present government neglects the Orang Asli, but the overwhelmingly focus on the need to protect and advance the ethnic and religious rights of Malays, has meant the fundamental neglect of the Orang Asli.
Even the word bumiputera seems more applicable to the Malays rather than the Orang Asli, whose existence in the Malay peninsula dates from time immemorial.
Six more decades of racial and religious politics had impacted the Orang Asli and other numerical small communities negatively.
Given this pernicious thrust of the dominant politics, the Orang Asli should brace for neglect and isolation for the future. In short, there is nothing for them.
The fate of the Orang Asli is much tied with other communities that are equally isolated, marginalised and discriminated against.
One would expect some respect and dignity for the Orang Asli from the government, but unfortunately and regrettably, there is nothing.
A Malay-only government in the form of a backdoor Perikatan Nasional regime has little or nothing to offer to the Orang Asli.
For that matter, the government has nothing for Malaysians in general, particularly members of the working class, those who have been economically pulverised by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The budget allocation of RM158 million is just peanuts for the Orang Asli when a few billions have been allocated to the Malays; I suppose the “real” bumiputera of Malaysia.
The amount allocated might very well end up being used for the expenses of the agencies that are entrusted with looking after the social welfare of the Orang Asli.
The Orang Asli community needs educated and articulate members from their ranks to look into their political, economic and social well-being.
Having a few token members in Umno or other Malay racial parties might not be the answer.
The budget for 2021 is a shame on the government for doing so little for the Orang Asli community.
P RAMASAMY is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister (II) of Penang.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
