A VETERAN politician has called on the Election Commission (EC) to delineate a state constituency in Kelantan where Orang Asli voters are the predominant group.

This would signify a growing political consciousness among the minority group, former Kelantan Legislative Speaker Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah said.

He said there is a need for the Orang Asli community to have a larger and more effective voice on the political stage.

“They face credible threats requiring sustained political resolve, such as pollution and harm to their way of life. Relying on other politicians may not be effective, as it takes one Orang Asli to understand another and why they prefer to remain within the jungle,” he said.

Wan Abdul Rahim stated that under the law, the EC can conduct a redelineation exercise every eight years to align with voting trends and needs in each constituency.

Currently, there are 222 parliamentary and around 600 state constituencies in the country following last year’s state elections in six states.

With reports that the EC is considering another delineation exercise, Wan Abdul Rahim, a former Kelantan Amanah leader, believes the time has come for the Orang Asli to have their exclusive constituency.

He proposed that the most suitable area is in Kelantan, where the state constituencies of Galas and Nenggiri could be merged to include up to 6,000 Orang Asli voters under the Gua Musang parliamentary seat.

“This would be an ideal seat. Merging Galas and Nenggiri seats would give a sizable voice to the Orang Asli community,” he said.

Wan Abdul Rahim, once a key Kelantan PAS strategist, has been active in state politics since 1986 and twice contested the Gua Musang parliamentary seat, only to lose to veteran Umno leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah on both occasions.

He pointed out the pressing issues affecting the Orang Asli community, particularly the threat to their way of life and habitat due to rapid development, especially in Gua Musang where they live in pockets fringing the jungles in the Lojing Highlands.

The Malaysian Insight reported on Sunday that the Orang Asli community in Nenggiri, Kelantan, plans to use the upcoming by-election to address rampant land clearing for development in their area, which sits in Gua Musang.

They said constant development has eroded their quality of life over the past decade.

From frequent wildlife encroachment into their villages in the foothills of Lojing to contaminated water resources and destroyed vegetable plots, as well as flash flooding and rampant mudslides, the community is distressed by their plight.

Two representatives of the native community told The Malaysian Insight that they aim to seek political recourse.

Recently, Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Dr Ramli Mohd Nor, the country’s first Orang Asli parliamentarian, holding the Cameron Highlands seat, said the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) was ineffective in assisting the community for its rights and welfare.

“The Jakoa representatives in districts are only grade N22 officials (in the civil service), akin to senior clerks. They are not allowed to make certain decisions and always have to refer to their superiors,” Ramli was reported saying by Free Malaysia Today.

He suggested Jakoa must be revamped to include higher-ranking officials and reassess its role.

He also proposed establishing a statutory body similar to the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) exclusively for the Orang Asli.

Ramli’s sister, Sapiah, has been Jakoa’s director-general since September 2021.

The Nenggiri by-election, set for 17 August, is likely to see Barisan Nasional facing off against Perikatan Nasional, which rules the state.

There are about 2,700 registered Orang Asli voters in Nenggiri, located some 250km from Kota Baru, Kelantan’s capital and commercial hub.

The voter composition in Nenggiri is Malays (85.93%), Orang Asli (13.84%), Chinese (0.20%), and Indians (0.03%).

Umno has named its candidate, Kelantan Umno Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, a local resident of Gua Musang.

Bersatu is reportedly considering fielding either former Gua Musang Umno Youth chief Sheikh Razali Hamad or Kelantan government officer Sun Najaman Muhamad. – July 30 2024.