Ramli calls Jakoa ineffective, wants Mara-like establishment

Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor has berated the Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) for its ineffective efforts to assist the rights and welfare of the Orang Asli community.

Ramli, who also serves as the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker, attributed this to the limited authority of the department’s district representatives.

“The Jakoa representatives in districts are only grade N22 officials (in the civil service), which is just like a senior clerk. They are not allowed to make certain decisions, and always have to refer (to their superiors),” Ramli was reported saying by Free Malaysia Today.

Therefore, he called for a revamp of Jakoa, advocating for higher-ranking officials in the civil service and reassessing its role in helping lift the community out of poverty.

It is worth noting that Ramli’s sister, Sapiah, is Jakoa director-general, and has held the post since September 2021.

‘Follow Mara’s method’

In addition, Ramli repeated his 2020 suggestion to create a statutory body similar to the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) but dedicated exclusively to the Orang Asli.

He highlighted Mara’s role in assisting many Malays and bumiputera in the country, thereby alleviating poverty rates in both groups.

“When I was in Form 5, the smart students from among the Malays would be sent to Australia, the US (and others) to further their studies, with Mara spending millions in scholarships.

“After Mara, so many more professionals like lawyers, doctors, architects, and others emerged from among the Malays and bumiputera. So let’s follow that method and emphasise technical and vocational education and training for the Orang Asli,” he said.

The Umno MP revealed that he would submit his suggestions to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He mentioned that he had previously proposed the idea to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi before the 2022 general election but added that it couldn’t be implemented because BN became part of the coalition government.

“Now that we’re in the second year (as a coalition government), I will submit this proposal again. We will leave it to Anwar,” he added.

As the only Orang Asli MP in Parliament, Ramli has actively called on the government to do more for the Orang Asli. He suggested setting up Orang Asli Felda and allocating special provisions for their children to enter the Mara Junior Science College.

Seize opportunities

During the Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024 in March, Ramli cited Felda’s success in improving the socioeconomic status of Malays.

He expressed hope that the government would consider allowing Orang Asli children to pursue education in MRSM and boarding schools.

Ramli further urged the Orang Asli to seize all the opportunities provided by the government, especially in education, to achieve progress.

“If the Orang Asli do not reach for the opportunities available to them, they will never achieve progress,” he said.

He noted that the number of school dropouts among the Orang Asli is quite high.

In 2022, then Rural Development Minister Mahdzir Khalid said over 10 percent of Orang Asli children dropped out of school due to various factors, including logistics and parents’ negative attitudes toward education.

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