THE government is working on implementing the recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on customary land rights for the Orang Asli, said Rural Development Minister Abd Latif Ahmad in a parliamentary written reply today.

A task force and a cabinet committee have been formed to look into the recommendations made by Suhakam in 2013.

Latiff was replying S. Kesavan (Sg Siput-Pakatan Harapan) who asked on the progress of Suhakam’s National Inquiry Report on Indigenous Customary Land Rights that was released in 2013.

“In July 2013, Suhakam had tabled its report on the land rights of the Orang Asli and made 18 recommendations.

“The cabinet decided to form a special taskforce headed by the Institute of Integrity Malaysia.

“From the study conducted, the cabinet in June 2015 agreed to 17 of the 18 recommendations proposed in the nation inquiry,” said Latiff.

He added that the special cabinet committee was chaired by then deputy prime minister and the matter was handled by the Department of Integrity and Governance (JITN) to ensure that the agreed recommendations were implemented within a specified time frame.

Latiff said the programme was currently under the supervision of the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) and the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

“The relevant recommendations are implemented between one and three years.”

Meanwhile, Latiff said Jakoa is tasked by the government to provide buses to ferry Orang Asli students, and to provide them with pocket money to continue schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a written reply to Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (Hang Tuah Jaya-PH), Latiff said the government has provided basic necessities for Orang Asli students in boarding schools.

“The ministry and the schools involved visited the families to persuade the children to continue going to school.

“Jakoa and the ministry’s ICT unit had conducted meetings with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to identify areas with internet access,” he added.

Shamsul Iskandar had asked the minister about Orang Asli students during the movement control order and their schooling conditions under the recovery movement control order. – July 24, 2020.