BN throws party, money to woo Orang Asli

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

HULU SELANGOR: There is a new 'party' in town and it's called the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (JHEOA). Its mission, according to the angry Orang Asli community here, is to nail their support for BN through a game plan of bribery and intimidation.
Hulu Selangor is home to over 3,000 Orang Asli scattered over 16 villages in the district. Since the campaign kicked off,  the PKR Orang Asli Bureau has complained that JHEOA is hampering their campaign efforts in the community by exerting tremendous pressure on both voters and bureau members.

One bureau member, Podir Kadir (photo), has spotted JHEOA vans with stickers covering the department logo entering the Orang Asli villages under the pretense of being party supporters.

“We aren't stupid,” he told the media at a press conference in Kuala Kubu Bharu today. “We recognise the JHEOA vans and it is clear that it is working alongside BN to help secure a win in the by-election.”

Taking advantage of the Orang Asli fondness for entertainment, the JHEOA has also organised dinners and even rock concerts in the villages. Aside from having a good time, all attendees walk away with RM10 as a 'token of appreciation'.

“They are buying our pride,” protested another bureau member, Nurul Fazil. “In some villagers they have even gone round asking people to name the country's prime minister. Those who can are rewarded with RM10.”

Tok Batins or village heads also claimed that JHEOA officials have asked them to usher out PKR bureau members from within their villages. However, the heads have refused.

This by-election has also made history by being the first to have every JHEOA director in Peninsular Malaysia sent to Hulu Selangor to oversee an Orang Asli village there.

Police intimidation
Selangor exco member Elizabeth Wong, also the chairman of the Orang Asli Land Task Force, called this a blatant abuse of power.

“This has never happened before and shouldn't be allowed to happen,” she slammed. “The Public Service Act clearly prohibits civil servants from participating in political campaigns and vote buying is an election offence. The JHEOA has violated these laws.”

Wong also seethed over the sudden appearance of police booths in front of the villages, describing it as an intimidation tool.

“Police booths are a symbol of a state of emergency,” she said. “And BN is doing everything it can to frighten the Orang Asli into remaining as party supporters.”

“It is targeting villages via the JHEOA because it thinks that the villagers won't protest unlike those in the towns. But the Orang Asli are very angry at this mistreatment.”

Wong called on the Election Commission address this abuse of power and for the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission to take action on the bribery issue.

“BN is free to campaign in any way it pleases,” she said. “Just don't use a government department as a puppet to intimidate the people.”