THE government must not appoint a non-Orang Asli to the post of director-general of the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), said Ramli Mohd Nor.

The Cameron Highlands MP said the post traditionally goes to a qualified Malaysian of Orang Asli descent from Peninsular Malaysia.

Ramli said he has reason to believe efforts are ongoing to break the tradition.

“It has come to my knowledge that there is a move by officials in the Ministry of Rural Development plotting to ensure that the post is not held by an Orang Asli. 

“As the sole Orang Asli representative in Parliament voted in by the people, I condemn and oppose the efforts of the little Napoleons in the bureaucracy in the ministry,” said the Barisan Nasional lawmaker and first Orang Asli MP.

The Jakoa director-general’s post became vacant after Prof Dr Julio Edo’s contract expired last month. 

Ramli said the federal constitution states that Orang Asli must be given suitable positions in the civil service, including the position of director-general of Jakoa. 

He said the Perikatan Nasional government must not only be fair and equitable in appointing the next director-general of Jakoa but must also address development issues affecting the community.

“Core issues such as socio-economic development, education, health, gazetting of Orang Asli land/customary land and general welfare of the Orang Asli community are still far from (being resolved) compared to (the issues affecting other groups in) Malaysia’s plural society,” he said. 

Yesterday, Rural Development Minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad tweeted he was meeting with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to pick the candidate for the vacancy,

Latiff said an Orang Asli had held the position of director-general since 2017.  He said Jakoa should be led by a person who could bring progress to the Orang Asli. – May 19, 2021.