GUA MUSANG: The Orang Asli community has made a plea for automatic teller machines (ATMs) and cash deposit machines (CDMs) to be installed at the Kuala Betis Resettlement (RPS) area to facilitate their banking needs here.
Siti Nornadia Kamarzaman, 37, said the provision of these facilities is highly anticipated by the community as it would save them fuel costs and reduce the great distance they must travel to the city.
"We are asking for ATMs and CDMs to be provided here because Kuala Betis is the entry and exit point for the Orang Asli population in the rural settlements in the Galas and Nenggiri state assembly areas.
"So their journey too will be shortened because currently residents from Pos Hau, Pos Belatim, Pos Balar, Pos Bihai, Pos Simpor, and Pos Gob have to ride motorbikes for more than 70km to get to Gua Musang town," she told Bernama on Monday (Sept 30).
Similarly, Norasyikin Uda, 46, said not all villagers have their own vehicles and they have to rent a car with a fare of around RM50 to go in and out of the city.
"Most residents in this area have no choice other than having to pay the travel fare that could be used to meet the basic needs of the family instead," she said.
Meanwhile, a Bernama survey found that until now, residents had to go to the nearest bank facility in the town of Gua Musang, a distance that takes about 40 minutes, to make cash withdrawals and deposit transactions.
Following that, Galas assemblyman Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim said the need had been studied and he would try to provide ATM machines to facilitate the affairs of residents in the RPS Kuala Betis and Tanah Tinggi Lojing housing areas. – Bernama
