Orang Asli group sends team to support Batu hopeful Siti Kasim

The Kelantan Network of Orang Asli Villages (JKOAK) will be sending a team to support the campaign of Batu hopeful Siti Kasim in this 15th general election.

The group will also be sending two other teams to assist candidates of Orang Asli descent.

“JKOAK will direct a team to help the campaign of independent candidates in the Batu parliamentary seat. Siti - otherwise known as ‘Kak Siti’ - will compete under an independent ticket.

“We hope the voters of Batu will give full support to independent candidates for the rakyat’s voice in Parliament,” group representative Nasir Nash said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, noting Siti’s history as a lawyer who championed Orang Asli rights.

She was also the former chairperson of the Bar Council Committee on Orang Asli Rights.

In response, Siti (above) expressed her appreciation today saying that she is not paying the team for its support but will be assisting the group with logistics.

“I am so humbled that my Orang Asli friends from the forest are coming down to help with my campaign. I'm not paying them a single sen. Just helping with logistics. Thank you, gang,” she tweeted.

Orang Asli candidates

Nasir revealed today the Orang Asli candidates the network will send support teams to - incumbent Cameron Highland MP Ramli Mohd Nor of the Semai and Temiar tribes, and Bob Manolan Mohd who is of Semelai descent.

Ramli comes from BN while Bob is the PKR candidate for Kemayan.

During an Oct 20 interview with Malaysiakini, Siti said she will continue to champion Orang Asli issues in Parliament - should she be elected as Batu MP.

“This is something I will not stop talking about. I will make sure that it will be heard in Parliament and I would probably propose a bill to make this into a proper law.

“At least, once we have that, the Orang Asli lives will be well taken care of," she had said.

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