Special Orang Asli Officer Position at MB’s Office if BN Wins

JEMPOL: Barisan Nasional (BN) will create a Special Officer for Orang Asli Affairs position at the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar’s Office if given the mandate to form the state government after the Negeri Sembilan State Election (PRN) tomorrow.

BN Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the position is important to ensure that all issues, needs and welfare of the Orang Asli community can be coordinated and given direct attention at the state government administration level.

According to him, the proposal will be submitted to the new Menteri Besar from BN if the coalition succeeds in taking over the state administration.

“If I want to offer more, I will ask the new Menteri Besar from Barisan Nasional to establish a Special Officer for Orang Asli Affairs at the Menteri Besar’s Office.

“This means simply, if we are of one heart and one soul, everything can be done,” he said in a speech at the Friendly Programme with the Orang Asli Village Community at Kampung Orang Asli Batu Peti, Rompin, here today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said several other states such as Pahang and Perak already have special officers managing Orang Asli affairs at their respective Menteri Besar’s Offices.

He said he had also proposed the same to the Johor Menteri Besar, as that state also has a large Orang Asli population.

“In Pahang and Perak, there are Orang Asli special officers at the Menteri Besar’s Office. In Johor, I have told Datuk Onn (Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi), I said because there are many Orang Asli in Johor.

“So what’s so difficult about implementing an Orang Asli officer,” he said.

He said the special officer would act as a liaison between the Orang Asli community and the state government, including identifying needs related to education, welfare and development.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid claimed that the Orang Asli community in the state has not received proper attention throughout the state government administration since 2018.

“But the problem is, from 2018 to 2026, the Menteri Besar hasn’t done anything, hasn’t helped the Orang Asli — why?

“It’s not me saying they haven’t helped, it’s the Orang Asli who say so,” he said.

Utusan Malaysia