Perak government has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights and lands of the Orang Asli community, focusing on areas crucial for their survival and socio-economic well-being, says Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun.
The state rural development, plantation, agriculture and food industry committee chairman said currently, any special gazettement of land as “customary land” or “kawasan rayau” (roaming area) in Peninsular Malaysia required amendments to the Orang Asli Act 1954 and the National Land Code 1965, which are under the Federal Government.
Despite this, he said Perak, in collaboration with the Orang Asli Development Department, continued to prioritise the gazettement of critical Orang Asli areas, including existing settlements and land used for their agriculture and economic activities.
“This initiative ensures legal certainty, secures occupancy rights and protects the community’s socio-economic interests,” Mohd Zolkafly said during the Perak State Assembly sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan in Ipoh, yesterday.
“As of Dec 31, 2024, Perak has completed the gazettement of approximately 13,388.666ha of land, benefiting an estimated 62,000 Orang Asli in the state.”
He was replying to Salina Samsudin (BN-Behrang), who asked about the total size of Orang Asli customary land and roaming areas that had been gazetted in Perak to date and the state government’s plans to expand this gazettement.
Mohd Zolkafly said the process for gazetting new areas involved surveying, boundary identification and submission of complete reports for approval, ensuring the community enjoyed safe and secure land tenure that was free from external encroachment.
Meanwhile, Perak housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said as of October, 843 applicants were still waiting to move into homes under the People’s Residency Programme (PRR).
She said there were 378 new applications this year alone.
She was replying to S. Wasanthee (PH-Hutan Melintang), who asked about the number of applicants still awaiting approval to occupy PRR homes and the status of PRR projects in Lenggong and Tambun.
“The Perak Housing and Property Board has received its official appointment letter from the Housing and Local Government Ministry to serve as the implementing agency for the Lenggong PRR project,” said Ng.
“The project is currently at the document coordination stage, before contractor procurement is done through an open tender.
“Meanwhile, the ministry held a tender briefing on Oct 23 for the Tambun PRR project.
“The tender submission deadline is set for Dec 24, with the evaluation process scheduled to take place within 60 days after the closing date.”
Ng said both PRR projects were in an active implementation phase.
