Assaulted orang asli group claims cops sided with attackers

Painful ordeal: Itam (left) and Rahman pointing to the injuries they sustained in the assault.

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of orang asli are crying foul over what they say is police inaction after a few of them were assaulted by about 100 Myanmar nationals over land disputes.

The small group travelled hundreds of kilometres from their village, Kampung Kuala Tahu in Lojing, Kelantan, to Bukit Aman yesterday, seeking justice over their plight.

The attack is believed to be in retaliation for the Temiar orang asli’s attempt to stop encroachment by agricultural businesses on their customary land in Lojing Highlands.

“Three of my friends and I were heading back to our village at around 11am on Feb 26 when we were ambushed by about 100 Myanmar nationals,” said Rahman Uda, 41, who had to be hospitalised.

He and his friend, Itam Anjang, 50, were severely beaten with sticks and stomped on by the large group. “Two others suffered light injuries,” he added.

Itam said police did nothing even after a report had been lodged. He also alleged that the force always sided with the agricultural business owners who encroached on their native land.

“They believed the stories of the immigrants who claimed that our injuries were self-­inflicted,” he said.

“Another policeman advised us to take an offer of RM500 from the taukeh, who employs the immigrants, to forget the matter.”

Rahman, Itam and four other orang asli, along with lawyer Siti Kasim from the Bar Council’s Committee for Orang Asli Rights, handed over the official complaint to the Integrated Public Agency Complaints Moni­toring System (ISPAAA) yesterday.