THE Orang Asli in Gua Musang living near the Nenggiri Dam in Kelantan have agreed to move to a new settlement following discussions with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), said the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said TNB has given a full explanation on the project to the Orang Asli at a meeting with the community.

Joseph, however, said the Orang Asli are asking for the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) from TNB.

“The Orang Asli representatives have said that they are not against any development but are concerned about their livelihoods, especially their villages and holy sites,” he said.

Joseph said they have also not received the EIA nor the HIA reports, but added that the national power company has agreed to provide them.

TNB has given its full cooperation and has been very open during the discussion, Joseph said.

“The village head (Tok Batin), as well as the villagers, have agreed to move and agreed with the terms set by TNB. TNB will also provide basic facilities and compensation.”

The controversy surrounding the Nenggiri Dam began in 2015 when the Kelantan Orang Asli village committee youth chief Dendi Johari said the flood mitigation plan would destroy the Orang Asli villages.

He said the project would destroy their homes, grave sites and the jungle, which was the source of their livelihoods, adding that they were not consulted on the project.

In August 2020, Kelantan deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said preliminary work on the dams was scheduled to commence in March 2022.

He said this included the resettlement of three Orang Asli villages as they were in the way. – May 20, 2021.