THE Orang Asli in Bukit Lagong, Selangor are not facing hunger issues due to lack of food during the movement control period, said the Orang Asli Affairs Department (Jakoa) today.

Director-general of Jakoa Prof Dr Juli Edo said the community was thrice provided with food aid in April and May.

He disputed social media reports that the community was suffering from hunger after being neglected by the government.

“Throughout the MCO period, the Orang Asli in Bukit Lagong received food baskets from Jakoa three times, that is on April 7 and 16 and May 8.

“They were essential items such as rice, cooking oil, flour, salt, sugar, tea, condensed milk, sardines and kicap.

“As such, reports that the community has no food are untrue,” he said today in a statement.

He dismissed as false WhatsApp messages asking for money from the public to support the community that the government had ignored.
 
“Jakoa would like to stress that such messages are untrue and that the collection of funds is done without our approval,” he said.

The Bukit Lagong Orang Asli village is in the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve in Gombak, near the Forest Research Institute Malaysia.

There are about 20 Temuan families living in the village.

Last month, Juli told The Malaysian Insight that transport problems and a lack of manpower were hindering the department from delivering aid to various tribes in the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the department had logistical problems delivering aid to 55,000 Orang Asli households.

“We don’t have enough transport so the delivery will be done in stages. Like in Cameron Highlands, there are 24,000 households. We can’t go all at once,” Juli said.

“We will still try and solve these issues.”

The Malaysian Insight reported that tribes in Perak, Pahang and Kelantan were facing food shortages because of the MCO, a Covid-19 containment measure introduced on March 18. – May 27, 2020.