PHOTOGRAPHER S.C. Shekar is Malaysia’s leading photojournalist. He doesn’t make up stories. He has been filming and photographing the Orang Asli in the landfill for a year, at least.

When he sought my help to fund the Orang Asli, I decided to go there myself and have a look.

They have been there for so long, since DRB-Hicom owned the concession till the new concession holder took over in December last year. The chairman of the new concession holders – Greenviro Solutions Sdn Bhd – Syamshuar Husin, wrote me an email yesterday saying they wanted to work with us to solve issues facing the Orang Asli on the landfill they had inherited. And, I will work with them to do so.

I can understand why the headman is backtracking from what he told us. Poor people under pressure have little choice.

As for the officials – in this case the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) – pretending the problem doesn’t exist will not make it go away. Pretending it doesn’t exist will only ensure the Orang Asli die a slow death.

Not anywhere was it said they lived on the landfill. They told us they “live off the landfill”. I spoke to the headman myself. Their settlement is about 10 minutes away – with no running water and no electricity. That’s a fact.

It’s easy to check whether their children go to school. The reporter just has to ask them which school and then check with the school whether they attend it or not.

Their houses have no running water and electricity. That’s a fact. And this can be easily checked by a reporter willing to go to the ground.

As far as I am concerned, the ECM Libra Foundation will provide them assistance, as we have done over the last decade with many Orang Asli settlements in Perak and Negri Sembilan – without any help from Jakoa. – February 15, 2020.

* Kalimullah Hassan is ECM LIBRA Foundation chairman.