Orang Asli activist organisations have strongly denied the claim by Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) director-general Sapiah Mohd Nor that there are indigenous NGOs being ‘paid’ by external parties to deliberately trigger land issues involving the community.

“We are getting together a group of OA (Orang Asli) NGOs to hold a press conference to rebut these false claims.

“Among those who reject the claims are the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Joas), Persatuan Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (Poasm), Jaringan Kampung OA Kelantan (JKOAK), Jaringan Kampung OA N9 (JKOANS), and the Jaringan Kampung OA Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM),” said Negeri Sembilan Orang Asli villages network deputy chairperson Zurdi Baharu.

Another OA leader who declined to be named said the Jakoa director-general appeared to be...