‘Sultanate land’ does not mean it belongs to ruler, says MB

JOHOR BARU: People should not question or confuse the Orang Asli with regard to gazetting their land as sultanate land, says the Johor Mentri Besar.

Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said land designated as “sultanate land” does not mean that the land belongs to the Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

“The Johor Ruler becomes the custodian of this land reserve and will continue to take care of the welfare and interests of the Orang Asli,” he said, adding that no party could then exploit or misuse this reserve.

The natives, said Onn Hafiz, could still use the land and harvest forest resources as stated under the Orang Asli Act 1954.

“Please do not hide and twist the noble intentions of the state government,” he said, adding that the state government supported the move to gazette the Orang Asli land as sultanate land.

He urged those who were in need of clarification to get in touch with the Johor Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

He acknowledged that the state government had received many complaints about Orang Asli being exploited by irresponsible people for their own personal gains.

“This included the illegal cultivation of Orang Asli land for commercial purposes, some of them being used as guides for hunting and others hired to illegally extract sandalwood and precious metals,” he said.

Onn Hafiz said the state government was concerned about the exploitation and would continue to use necessary laws to protect the Orang Asli, including their Act, Sultanate Land Enactment 1932, National Land Code, Johor Land Code 1966 and Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

In a recent exclusive interview with The Star, Sultan Ibrahim said steps needed to be taken to address the exploitation of Orang Asli in the state by outsiders.

Sultan Ibrahim said the Orang Asli community in Johor was well taken care of as the government had built roads, houses, schools and surau.

“However, some of them have cut down up to 300 acres (121ha) of land for timber or to plant rubber or oil palm trees.

“Where do they get the money to carry out such activities?” he asked.

He added that even his own estates, covering more than 100 acres (40ha), had been encroached.

“They claim it is tanah rayau (an ancestral burial ground). I do not chase them out.

“I have allowed them to harvest their crops and then leave. In the meantime, they do not need to pay rent to me,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim said that as the custodian of the Orang Asli in the state, he suggested that their land be made sultanate land, similar to national parks, which can prevent exploitation.

The Ruler said a group of lawyers, who had previously taken the government to court in Bekok, was involved in similar cases in Kuala Masai and Kampung Peta.

Sultan Ibrahim said he was aware of the locations of the Orang Asli settlements statewide as it was his great-great-grandfather, Sultan Abu Bakar, who had placed them at these areas.