It should also be added that since the mid-1990s, when many of the original JHEOA functions were handed to other ministries (e.g. Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health), those ministries would also have separate allocations for their Orang Asli projects. Thus, the allocation for Orang Asli development is a considerable one, and the government has frequently gone to great lengths to highlight this. Unfortunately, given the social indicators for the Orang Asli, there appears to be a gap between intention and delivery. Clearly, there must be something wrong in the distribution of economic projects if, while the national poverty rate has decreased to single-digit levels, that for the Orang Asli continues to include more than three-quarters of its population. Cause of Underdevelopment The reasons for this state of affairs is, needless to say, multi-faceted. However, I would strongly agree with the comments of the then Minister of Finance, Tun Daim Zainuddin, (when he spoke at the opening of the annual general assembly of the Orang Asli Association of Peninsular Malaysia, POASM in 1999) that the main reason for Orang Asli poverty is that “they do not own land” (New Straits Times 10.5.1999). Without permanent security to their traditional territories, Orang Asli are reluctant to develop it further. This is best captured in the words of one Semai headman from Tapah at a dialogue with a former Director-General of the JHEOA, “Why are you giving us seedlings to grow, when you know that we will only be growing them for others to enjoy the fruits when they are mature!”, alluding to the frequent encroachments onto his people’s lands and the impending threat of his community being asked to resettle elsewhere. Without permanent title to their land, Orang Asli are also not able to use their land as mortgages for bank loans which they may need to expand their businesses or develop it further. For a long time, even government ORANG ASLI – RIGHTS, PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS 39