The 2011 Budget announced by the prime minister-cum-finance minister shows that he has not read the memorandum sent to him in March or else he has chosen to ignore the discontent of the Orang Asli to the new Orang Asli Land Policy.

A total of RM100 milliojn has been allocated for 2011 aimed at ‘resolving Orang Asli land rights and border settlement issues as well as formulating a new development model for the Orang Asli’.

This is clearly indicates that the government is going ahead with its plan to 'give' Orang Asli individual land titles while denying them rights to huge tracts of customary lands.

Furthermore, the PM has also agreed to ‘restructure and strengthen’ the JHEOA into a statutory body - Badan Kemajuan Orang Asli (BKOA).

This will make it easy for the new JHEOA to further exploit the Orang Asli, especially in the way their newly acquired lands can be managed.

The 2011 budget also mentions that the monthly allowance of Orang Asli batin (headmen) and JKKK chairpersons will be increased from RM450 to RM800.

As far as I know, only the batin get an annual bonus of between RM1,200 to RM2,500. That's RM100 to RMRM200 or so a month. This must come as news to the batin who have not been getting the monthly allowance at all.

And the JKKK chairpersons too (who have never been given anything at all).

The writer represents the Center for Orang Asli Concerns .