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Letter to the editor:
Protection of the rights of the underprivileged must continue
Contributed by Ambiga Sreenevasan
" I write this piece to put on record what I believe to be the most significant events from a human rights perspective: events that members of the Malaysian Bar and other NGOs were pleased to be part of. These issues that had remained outstanding for many years saw quick resolution in the last 10 months in Perak.
They include the following:
• As Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin cancelled all logging and plantation activities in Orang Asli settlements around Gopeng that were affecting more than 2000 Orang Asli.
• YB Sivanesan announced the return of approximately 400 acres of Orang Asli ancestral land to the Orang Asli that had been earmarked for logging activities by the previous government in Mukim Teja near Gopeng.
• The State Government announced the return of approximately 500 acres of Orang Asli ancestral land to the Orang Asli of Kampung Chang Sungai Gepai in Bidor, which had been earmarked for a Botanical Garden by the previous government.
• A special task force on Orang Asli land rights was set up to formally recognise all Orang Asli customary land in Perak. The task force committee comprises two tiers. The second tier is exclusively managed by the Orang Asli communities themselves, and meeting halls in the State Secretariat building are provided to the Orang Asli for their use.
• The Administration commissioned a special Orang Asli Officer for the state of Perak whose function is to resolve all problems of the Orang Asli within the state.
• A series of consultations with the public and NGOs on development activities in Ipoh has been held. For example, public opinion was sought in relation to the proposed development of Yau Tet Shin Market.
• Both Malay and Chinese residents of new villages and Kampung Tersusun are now being granted permanent land titles in stages.
The Malaysian Bar must put these events on record as we have worked for years on some of these issues and were happy to see positive results achieved in a short span of time. "
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Looks like the Pakatan did not bad, even though they've only been in office for 10 months... Certainly sounds like they did a lot more in these areas than the BN had done in years!
Hmmm....wonder what we can expect from the (illegal) BN govt in the next 10 months.
How about this as a little foretaste:
After the coup d’etat, Perak gets a ‘funny’ cabinet
"So, poor Perak, it gets an illegimate state government with a cabinet of six excos, two ‘work-around’ advisers, and two ‘cannot-call-exco’ excos. It’s a funny cabinet. Good luck, Perak. "Read the whole post here
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