'Orang Asli Affairs Department still relevant'
The Orang Asli Affairs Department is still relevant in providing the best service to the orang asli community, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said the claim by some parties that the deparment had failed to its job was
unfounded.
The Orang Asli Affairs Department is still relevant in providing the best service to the orang asli community, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal (
right
) said the claim by some parties that the deparment had failed to its job was
unfounded.
"According to the ministry's observation, this view is only that of certain parties with their own agenda," he said in reply to Fuziah Salleh (PKR-Kuantan).
He said that based on meetings dialogues, workshops, seminars and
conferences held by the department or the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) representing the orang asli, it was clear that they wanted the department to be retained and further strengthened for the protection, welfare, development and wellbeing of the community.
He said the setting up of the National Orang Asli Community Advisory Council in 2001, for example, showed that the government had never sidelined the six orang asli representatives, who were appointed to the council, in the decision-making process.
The community was also involved in monitoring government development projects through the setting up of a special Orang Asli Focus Group, he added.
- Bernama
