It was reported that this was an issue of management of a commercial replanting project FOR the Orang Asli Community.
QUESTION:- Did the said Orang Asli Community want the commercial replanting project? Or was it simply a decision of the State Government, without the consent of the Orang Asli Community?
If the Orang Asli wanted to do so, and the State Government was simply 'helping' - then the said Orang Asli community must be the main decision maker on who is awarded the project, or the decision to change the company...?
Odd, allegations that '...claimed that several Orang Asli villagers in Pahang were barred from entering a plantation to collect oil palm....' Why were the OWNERS, the Orang Asli Community members BARRED from entering the area to collect OIL Palm? Even if there is a 'replanting project', the owners should still be free to collect oil palm or any other products...EXPLANATION Needed.
Apparently, the State Government set up a company and named it Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco) - well, that would give the impression that it was OWNED and controlled by the Orang Asli, was it? If not, it was MISLEADING if it was controlled by State and/or non-Orang Asli. Just like a company called Malay Corporation, gives the impression that it is owned and controlled by Malays. The name approved and used is important so as to not mislead.
Then, media reports suggest that '...The state secretary also said the Jakoa director-general and Johari were appointed to Oraco’s board of directors in November 2021, and were involved in its decisions...' This is a BAD Practice, as it is best that officers of Departments and Public Servants should NEVER BE APPOINTED AS DIRECTORS of Corporations or government companies, for there is a RISK of CONFLICT as their duties in government department/Ministries like JAKOA is to oversee and protect the welfare and rights of Orang Asli, and a private Company objects may be just profits...
It is a 're-planting project' - but why was 'tapping rights' given to the said company/entity tasked with re-planting?
He said the Pahang executive council agreed on Feb 21 to take over management of these projects – 59 in total – through Oraco by obtaining the tapping rights.
The approval of the tapping rights was to prevent the misappropriation of state produce and to look after the welfare of the Orang Asli in the areas involved, he said, adding that the projects involved state-owned land.
It sounds 'fishy' - was it tapping rights now before replanting? Or was it tapping rights after replanting? What happens then to the Orang Asli Community?
In my opinion, the tapping rights and other products must remain with the Orang Asli community NOW, and even after the replanting. The company just re-plants and leaves. If not, it seems like 'Land Grabbing' - the taking over of Orang Asli community land, and possibly their source of income today and tommorrow from the said land...???
She[Orang Asli activist Eliana Tan] said some villagers’ commercial replanting projects (TSK) have already been taken over by the Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco) despite their opposition, which does not follow the principles of free, prior, transparent, and informed consent, and violates the Orang Asli’s right to self-determination.
Eliana, who is of Jakun descent, said she is disappointed by Jakoa and the state government’s apparent lack of seriousness in recognising native customary land rights and is instead busy setting up special purposes bodies to manage and develop Orang Asli land.
I wonder why the re-planting project was given to some other companies? Reasonably, the Orang Asli that worked the land would be capable enough to do any RE-Planting? Government could have assisted in providing maybe needed equipment like tractors, and heavy machinery...
SHOCKING that the State Secretary is talking about 'SEDITIOUS' remarks made by JAKOA Department of Orang Asli Development /Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli) - it should be his DUTY to HIGHLIGHT concerns of the Orang Asli, including possible violation of rights.
LET's hope that this not a case of the State Government, through its own company, trying to take from Orang Asli community their land and source of income?
Should SUHAKAM(Malaysian Human Rights Commission) inquire into this matter?
Should the Pahang Government or PM Anwar Ibrahim tell Malaysians what is happening..
NO one, including government, should violate the rights of Orang Asli, including their native customary land rights...Is the Pahang Government already gazetted this Orang Asli land as Native Customary Land?
State secretary slams Pahang Jakoa director over ‘seditious’ remarks
The issue revolves around state-owned Oraco taking over the management of a commercial replanting project for the Orang Asli community.
Zulkifli Yaacob said remarks made by Pahang Jakoa director Johari Alwi, which went viral on TikTok, created a negative impression about the state government, Sinar Harian reported.
He also claimed Johari was in breach of civil service regulations and the Official Secrets Act.
The issue stems from a TikTok post where Johari claimed that several Orang Asli villagers in Pahang were barred from entering a plantation to collect oil palm.
Johari had criticised the allegedly weak implementation of the commercial replanting project for the Orang Asli, after it was taken over by the Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco).
The project was started by Felcra Bhd and the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) to help develop land in Orang Asli settlements.
Zulkifli said the Pahang government only took over the project via Oraco after being informed by Risda in a letter on Feb 8 that it would cease management of the projects in the state.
He said the Pahang executive council agreed on
Feb 21 to take over management of these projects – 59 in total –
through Oraco by obtaining the tapping rights.
The approval of the tapping rights was to prevent the misappropriation of state produce and to look after the welfare of the Orang Asli in the areas involved, he said, adding that the projects involved state-owned land.
The state secretary also said the Jakoa director-general and Johari were appointed to Oraco’s board of directors in November 2021, and were involved in its decisions.
“Therefore, Jakoa was clearly in the know about the appointment of Oraco as the agency tasked with managing the Orang Asli commercial replanting projects.
Besides that, several engagements, briefings and visits to the 59 project sites were attended by officers from Pahang Jakoa, he added. - FMT, 4/9/2024
Orang Asli communities in Pahang were not properly consulted before a state-owned corporation took over replanting projects previously managed by the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda).
This is according to Orang Asli activist Eliana Tan, who voiced anger and disappointment towards the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) and the Pahang government on the matter.
She said some villagers’ commercial replanting projects (TSK) have already been taken over by the Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco) despite their opposition, which does not follow the principles of free, prior, transparent, and informed consent, and violates the Orang Asli’s right to self-determination.
Eliana, who is of Jakun descent, said she is disappointed by Jakoa and the state government’s apparent lack of seriousness in recognising native customary land rights and is instead busy setting up special purposes bodies to manage and develop Orang Asli land.
She is also disappointed with Jakoa for agreeing to allow Oraco to take over TSK and group replanting (TSB) projects without discussing them with local communities.
“Jakoa and the state government should instead be expediting the gazetting of Orang Asli customary land and territory and respect our rights as the first people of this land,” she said in a statement last night.
“Oraco is said to be a state government-owned company but to me, it is more towards business interests because it is a private limited company and we don’t know its purpose and who is involved in its execution,” she added.
Previously, it was reported that Jakoa had asked Risda to help develop land in Orang Asli settlements some 30 years ago but Oraco has since been asked to take over Risda’s TSK and TSB projects.
In a speech circulating on social media, Oraco CEO Muhammad Olian Abdullah had denied the company was taking over Orang Asli land and was merely managing projects “abandoned” by Risda after it supposedly fled because it couldn’t pay RM78million in tax arrears to the state government.
Pahang
Islamic Affairs, Rural Development, and Orang Asli Affairs Committee
chairperson Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad has since clarified that the tax
issue had been long resolved, while Risda chairperson Manndzri Nasib had
said he was taken aback by Olian’s remarks because the projects
involved an understanding between Risda and the state government. - Malaysiakini, 1/8/2024
Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) chairperson Manndzri Nasib has come forward to explain allegations that the agency has not paid RM78 million in land taxes to the Pahang government.
This concerns land in the group replanting (TSB) and commercial replanting (TSK) projects in Orang Asli settlements in Pahang, which involves an understanding between the state and the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa).
Previously, the TSB and TSK projects were managed by Risda, but the management has now been taken over by Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco) – a state government-owned company.
According to Manndzri, the understanding between Jakoa and the Pahang government was established 30 years ago, and Risda was only asked to help develop the land in the Orang Asli settlements.
“At that time, Jakoa asked Risda to help develop the land in the Orang Asli areas, so Risda acted as the project implementer.
“The proceeds from the project were returned in the form of dividends to those involved,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
Manndzri said this when asked to respond to a statement by Oraco CEO Muhammad Olian Abdullah, who claimed that Risda “ran away” because it refused to pay taxes to the state government and left the project in disarray.
Olian made the allegation in a speech uploaded on TikTok, where he denied claims that Oraco intended to seize land in the Orang Asli settlements, and it was instead merely managing the projects abandoned by Risda.
He also said Oraco did not force Risda out of the land, but rather Risda failed to pay RM78 million in taxes to the state government, excluding premiums and fines.
“I understand the total amount is around RM500 million, but the state government only imposed RM78 million. They couldn’t pay that, so they (Risda) left,” he said in the video.
Surprising development
Manndzri said he was surprised when the matter was raised because the land issue involved an understanding between the state government and Jakoa.
“We were also surprised because there was a mutual understanding. We actually enjoyed managing this project and would like Risda to continue because we had already invested capital.
“If we were asked to continue, we would gladly do so, but we were asked to stop,” he said.
Pahang Islamic Affairs, Rural Development, and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairperson Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad said the issue had long been resolved.
He said that Oraco was asked to take over responsibility for the project.
“Previously, Risda was the agency that assisted with the replanting projects (TSK and TSB).
“Now it is time for the state government subsidiary to fulfil the responsibility,” he said in a brief response when contacted. - Malaysiakini, 20/7/2024
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