IPOH, Oct 1,2015 - The High Court declared yesterday that
the Semai indigenous community or Orang Asli has customary rights over land at
Kampung Orang Asli, Kuala Senta, in Bidor, south of Perak.
They have sued the Lands and Survey and two others for
encroaching their customary rights land about 2,200 hectares.
Counsel Colin Nicholas of Centre for Orang Asli Concerns briefing the villagers on the outcome of their civil suit against the respondents.
On Sept 3, 2014, acompany known as Bionest Corporation
Sdn Bhd filed a suit against the villagers. In this suit, Bionest had alleged
that part of the lands had been alienated to them and as such they had prayed
that the court issue an order to evict the villagers.
In response the villagers filed their own suit for, among
others, declarations that the lands were Orang Asli customary lands belonging
to the Semais of Kampung Senta.
The villagers also prayed that the part of the lands that
had been alienated to Bionest be returned to them.
Yesterday, the court declared that the lands were in fact
the customary lands.
Accordingly, the court ordered that the lands be gazetted
as customary lands by the state authority. The court further ordered that the
part of the lands which had been alienated to Bionest be gazetted as OA land.
The Semai indigenous (Orang Asli) community and are also
known as the “Seng’oi”, have, from time immemorial, continuously occupied lands
(and resided in villages) in the South of Perak, more particularly within their
customary territory of Kampung Orang Asli Kuala Senta located in Bidor.
The Orang Asli of
Peninsular Malaysia, like aboriginal peoples elsewhere, share the plight of
marginalisation in virtually every aspect of national life.
They are amongst the most impoverished and underprivileged
ethnic groups in Malaysia in terms of income and standard of living.
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