A MAH Meri tribe has been given an extension to vacate Kg Bagan Lalang, after an outcry that the Selangor government wants to develop a tourist attraction on the site of their village.

The villagers were supposed to move out by May 20.

The extension was confirmed by Ilyas As-Said, the special officer to Sepang lawmaker Hanipa Maidin, in a tweet.

A Twitter user shared an email reply from Ilyas saying that the MP’s officers had met with representatives from the Sepang land and district office as well as the villagers with regard to the eviction notice.

“The 30-day notice given to them will be extended when the notice period ends. The tok batin of Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkong has also agreed to move them back to their ancestral land in the village.

“The cost of moving and monetary aid is being discussed by the land office, Jakoa (Department of Orang Asli), PNSB and Avani,” Illyas said in the email.

The length of the extension is unknown.

News that the tribe was being evicted to make way for a tourism project angered Malaysians on social media, who had then rallied around the villagers and accused the state government of oppressing the Orang Asli.

The land is slated to be developed into a tourist destination under the Sepang Gold Coast development project. According to its website, the project has an estimated gross development value of RM1 billion.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari bore the brunt of the anger expressed on Twitter, with many tagging him on their tweets, questioning the state’s decision to evict the Mah Meri and only giving them 30 days to vacate in the middle of the pandemic and a nationwide movement-control order (MCO).

In reply, Amirudin said that the state government had been engaging with the tribe, adding that a proper notice, balanced consideration and humane idea of development would be given utmost importance.

The land on which the Orang Asli is currently occupying belongs to Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) and the Sepang land and district office.

The 36 Orang Asli from 12 families in the village have been living there for more than 20 years, having moved from their original village in Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkung, 12km from the current site

On April 20, they were served a notice of eviction giving them 30 days to vacate the land or face legal action.

While the villagers acknowledge that the land does not belong to them and are not opposed to vacating the land, they asked for more time as 30 days were not enough for them to find a new place to live, and they do not have the funds required to do so.

Taha Akhir, the tok batin of Kg Orang Asli Bukit Bangkung also looks after Kg Bagan Lalang and has written to the land office and PNSB to ask for an extension on behalf of the villagers.

In his letter dated April 26, Taha cited the fasting month, Hari Raya, the Covid-19 pandemic and the fact that the villagers have nowhere to go, as reasons for consideration for an extension.

Petition to protect the Mah Meri

Meanwhile, another Twitter user Imran Shah (@imranshah) started a change.org petition yesterday to gather 15,000 signatures to protect the tribe from eviction.

“Mah Meri residents should not be further displaced. We cannot be complicit and treat indigenous people as obstacles. Please sign this petition and pressure the Selangor government,” he said in the petition.

As of 7.30pm it has received 13,671 signatures.

He also tweeted that he will be seeking help from Lawyers for Liberty to get the Orang Asli legal representation.

“Anyway, I’ve emailed @lawyers4liberty on the issue and am awaiting a response. If the parties are negotiating soon, as MB Selangor mentioned yesterday, I want the residents to be represented by a lawyer. I’ve also discussed with the residents and they’re open to work with a lawyer.”