Temiar rubbish claims Harapan gov't suing Kelantan to win in Camerons
A representative of the Kelantan Orang Asli community has rubbished allegations that Putrajaya's lawsuit against the Kelantan government was meant as a political move to help Pakatan Harapan in Cameron Highlands.
Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan chairperson, Mustafa Along, said discussions between the Temiar community in Gua Musang and the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Malaysian Bar have been ongoing since last October.
"As such, claims that this lawsuit was purposely made due to the Cameron Highlands by-election are unfounded and unreasonable.
"This has been planned since before the Cameron Highlands by-election, and as such it should not be politicised for the interests of certain quarters as this involves the interests of the Orang Asli," Mustafa said in a statement today.
In a statement yesterday, attorney-general Tommy Thomas had said the federal government is initiating legal proceedings on behalf of the Orang Asli in recognition of Putrajaya's constitutional and legal duty to protect and promote their wellbeing and advancement.
Among others, Thomas (photo) said, the Kelantan government and its agencies had granted logging rights in Gua Musang to private companies without consulting the Temiar community or offering them compensation, and caused an overall irreparable damage.
Following this, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and others questioned the timing of the lawsuit, which coincides with campaigning for the Cameron Highlands by-election.
Comprising about 22 percent or 7,500 voters from Cameron Highland’s total electorate, the Orang Asli community - which previously contributed to the bulk of votes for BN - has been identified as a potential kingmaker come polling day on Jan 26.
Meanwhile, Mustafa said the Kelantan Orang Asli community were grateful to the federal government for the lawsuit.
However in the meantime, he said the Temiar will continue setting up blockades to prevent intrusions into their ancestral land.
The Temiar first sought the Pakatan Harapan federal government's help last August, when some 200 members of the community went to Putrajaya.
Several of their leaders met with Mahathir, who promised to resolve the problem but conceded that the PAS-controlled Kelantan government had the final say over land matters.
The Temiar have been fighting loggers for years, setting up blockades which would be demolished by state government officers or those working for private companies
Besides loggers, a more recent threat to their lands are durian plantations.
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