agencies. A discussion on actions for long term solution is crucial and SUHAKAM hopes
to engage in constructively with the Kelantan State Government.
CH A PT E R 2
SUHAKAM received complaints of a similar nature from the Orang Asli community in
Perak. SUHAKAM held a meeting with the Chief Minister of Perak on 20 September to
address Orang Asli land rights and other human rights issues concerning them. The
Chief Minister promised that the state government would engage with the Orang Asli
community to discuss the issues raised.
SUHAKAM had also written to the Chief Minister of Pahang in relation to Orang Asli land
issues in the state and sought a dialogue with the state agencies.
Follow up on the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of
Indigenous Peoples (NI)
SUHAKAM would like to record its disappointment over the slow pace of government’s
implement the recommendations made in the report of the National Inquiry into the
Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples. SUHAKAM is concerned that the slow response would
further erode the rights of indigenous peoples who are already vulnerable. SUHAKAM
is not clear what is the position of the new government on the NI recommendations
and the status of the committee chaired by the then Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri
Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in pursuing NI recommendations. Nevertheless, SUHAKAM has
taken note that Orang Asli affairs have been transferred to the purview of the Minister
in Prime Minister’s Department responsible for National Unity and Social Wellbeing and
SUHAKAM is planning to have constructive engagement with the said Minister on the
plight of the community.
Several activities were organised by SUHAKAM to follow-up the National Inquiry
recommendations:
i.
A meeting was held on 3 August with JAKOA and the Selangor state government
regarding the gazetting of Orang Asli land in Selangor.
ii. On 4 June, SUHAKAM co-organised a forum on ‘Sustainable Forest Management
and a New Hope for Malaysia’ in partnership with Greenpeace in conjunction with
World Environment Day. The forum focused on human rights and the environment,
particularly in the context of achieving and implementing SDG 15 in the context
of sustainable forest management through effective policies and programmes.
Recommendation 13 of SUHAKAM’s NI was also addressed during the forum by
exploring steps to be taken to promote the involvement of indigenous peoples in
forest management.
SUHAKAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2018
91