They are voters in Najib’s constituency, but their memorandum says the government is ignoring ecological threats they are facing.
PUTRAJAYA: The Orang Asli of Tasik Chini are upset that the government appears to be unconcerned about threats to their traditional way of life. They happen to be voters in Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s Pekan parliamentary constituency.
About a dozen tribesmen, together with representatives of Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) and various groups, spoke to newsmen outside the Prime Minister’s office today, complaining about logging and other polluting activities that adversely affect their traditional ways of making a living.
A spokesman for the Orang Asli, Ismail Muhammad, said the government used to listen to their complaints, but not anymore.
“In the past, we used to send letters to the government, and even if they didn’t agree with us, they would acknowledge us. Today, there is nothing. No action.
“Nowadays, when we ask JKOA (Department of Orang Asli Development) to help us, they tell us not to complain so much.”
Ismail is a former headman of Kampung Gumum Tasik Chini. He said he was speaking on behalf of nearly 5,000 indigenous people in Tasik Chini.
The group submitted to Najib’s office a memorandum stating that the Chini folk’s trouble began with the building of a dam across Sungai Chini in 1995 and had worsened through the years with rapid economic development of the area.
The memorandum mentioned water pollution from the nearby Penyor mining areas, run-off from the Jembarau palm oil plantation as well as the logging taking place there.
“If these environmental challenges are not rectified through good and sustainable governance, Tasik Chini will continue to degrade and die a slow but sure death.”
High poverty levels
TI-M Secretary-General Josie Fernandez said the environmental damage done to the lakes in the area
pointed to failures of both the Pahang and federal governments.
She said that the Orang Asli there were not only suffering from high levels of poverty, but also did not have access to clean water due to pollution.
“Officials at the Prime Minister’s Office were not aware of the seriousness of the situation,” she said.
Nevertheless, she added, Najib’s private secretary promised to give the memorandum to him tomorrow.
However, Ismail did not appear confident that the government would solve his people’s problems.
“When we make a complaint, we would call [Chini] assemblyman [Abu Bakar Harun], and he comes to see us. But what does he do? He’s only good at talking.”
He also did not appear convinced that Najib would be able to help his people, saying they had not seen him in a long time.
“The last time he came to visit us was when he was Defence Minister. I don’t remember when that was,” he said.
Ismail described himself as a loyal Barisan Nasional supporter.
“I am not disappointed with the government,” he said. “It is the administration that I am disappointed with, the bureaucracy.
PUTRAJAYA: The Orang Asli of Tasik Chini are upset that the government appears to be unconcerned about threats to their traditional way of life. They happen to be voters in Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s Pekan parliamentary constituency.About a dozen tribesmen, together with representatives of Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) and various groups, spoke to newsmen outside the Prime Minister’s office today, complaining about logging and other polluting activities that adversely affect their traditional ways of making a living.
A spokesman for the Orang Asli, Ismail Muhammad, said the government used to listen to their complaints, but not anymore.
“In the past, we used to send letters to the government, and even if they didn’t agree with us, they would acknowledge us. Today, there is nothing. No action.
“Nowadays, when we ask JKOA (Department of Orang Asli Development) to help us, they tell us not to complain so much.”
Ismail is a former headman of Kampung Gumum Tasik Chini. He said he was speaking on behalf of nearly 5,000 indigenous people in Tasik Chini.
The group submitted to Najib’s office a memorandum stating that the Chini folk’s trouble began with the building of a dam across Sungai Chini in 1995 and had worsened through the years with rapid economic development of the area.
The memorandum mentioned water pollution from the nearby Penyor mining areas, run-off from the Jembarau palm oil plantation as well as the logging taking place there.
“If these environmental challenges are not rectified through good and sustainable governance, Tasik Chini will continue to degrade and die a slow but sure death.”
High poverty levels
TI-M Secretary-General Josie Fernandez said the environmental damage done to the lakes in the area
pointed to failures of both the Pahang and federal governments.
She said that the Orang Asli there were not only suffering from high levels of poverty, but also did not have access to clean water due to pollution.
“Officials at the Prime Minister’s Office were not aware of the seriousness of the situation,” she said.
Nevertheless, she added, Najib’s private secretary promised to give the memorandum to him tomorrow.
However, Ismail did not appear confident that the government would solve his people’s problems.
“When we make a complaint, we would call [Chini] assemblyman [Abu Bakar Harun], and he comes to see us. But what does he do? He’s only good at talking.”
He also did not appear convinced that Najib would be able to help his people, saying they had not seen him in a long time.
“The last time he came to visit us was when he was Defence Minister. I don’t remember when that was,” he said.
Ismail described himself as a loyal Barisan Nasional supporter.
“I am not disappointed with the government,” he said. “It is the administration that I am disappointed with, the bureaucracy.
No comments:
Post a Comment