BATIN'S HOUSE BURNT

I received a SMS from Mat Seri on 1 August, 2015 morning that the KOA Lawai Batin's house burnt. The incident happened on 31st July mid-night. I paid a visit on the next day. Police and BOMBA came and report has been made. Jabatan Kebajikan came for verification, however JAKOA which has been notified but no action yet.

The fire brigade from Sungai Siput came but cannot cross the bridge in Kelah therefore has to turn back. According Batin Uda, he wonder why the water pressure is low compare to normal days. Arrangement has been made to get daily household to the Batin. 

KOA Lawai is the highest village in Jalong Tinggi. It located at 735 m above sea level surrounded by secondary jungle thus it has a cool surrounding all day long.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO KOA

Uncertain weather recently, made life of the Temiar ethnic in Jalong Tinggi, Sungai Siput miserable. They are facing difficulties to get food. They cannot go into the forest for foods or other supplies for living as the wild life is looking for food too. They could not come out to town as the roads are damaged due to soil erosion, land slide etc. 

Today, 47 boxes of food box has been given out to all families in KOA Hussin. Big thank you to Yayasan Bina Upaya whom has been very cooperative and their prompt responsive is very much appreciated. The delegation lead by Dato' Tan Lian Hoe, chair lady PEWANI Perak.

Dato Tan with Batin Adnan

distributing food box to villager

interact with the villagers

FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO KOA

Distribution of dry food box and a dialogue in 'Orang Asal' villages has been arranged to day. The food box contributed by Yayasan Bina Upaya (YBU) meant for the hardcore poor in the state. 12 boxes were distributed to KOA Awal and 10 to KOA Kelah. Dato' Tan Lian Hoe, Perak PEWANI Chair-lady leads the distribution of food boxes.

 

group photo in KOA Awal

  

with Henry, the village chief (blue T-shirt)

 

jovial time by Dato' Tan (white T-shirt with red collar) with the villagers

Henry, the KOA Awal chief approached Dato' Tan with some issues concerning the village - street light, damaged road, houses for the village folks and economic development programme.

food boxes distribution in KOA Kelah

the villages with Dato' Tan

Talib, the village chief brought up issues concerning the villages

As usual, the 'Orang Asal' villages in Jalong Tinggi shared the same issues i.e. economic development, street lights, etc. KOA Kelah village chief requested to rebuild and cleaning the water catchment. I proposed cements to be sponsor by generous housing developer and the works can be carry out on 'gotong-royong' basis.

 

the village committee with Dato' Tan

After distributing the food boxes, a dialogue was held in KOA Landap. This is the continuation of the previous dialogue.

All these activities received tremendous respond from the 'Orang Asal' and the delegation are most welcome.

APPEAL FOR HOUSE REPAIR

 

A house in KOA Kenang has been burnt on 11 May, 2015. A police report has been made. I was told an appeal for repair has been submitted to JAKOA Sg. Siput, however until today no respond from the department. The village chief, Batin Saidin has approached JAKOA and advised to seek assistance either from other department as JAKOA do not have allocation for this purpose or write to the Minister.

This matter was brought to me recently. A written request under the Persatuan Anak Temiar Jalong Tinggi was submitted to Yayasan Bina Upaya Chairman, Dato' Shaarani who is also the State EXCO in charge of the rural development. Hopefully there is a positive respond from the Yayasan Bina Upaya soon.

 

JALONG TINGGI ISSUES

My periodic visits to Jalong Tinggi, discover many issues concerning the 'Orang Asal'. The 'Orang Asal' population in Jalong Tinggi consists of 10 'kampungs' is about 5,000 people. Most of them work in the nearby plantations, few are civil servants and majority do their own job. They still depends on the forest for living.

Refering to the 'Orang Asal' lady taken by an Indonesian man.

After consulting with the Malaysia Embassy and seeking information from the Indonesians, the chances of getting the woman back to Malaysia are slim. There are only 2 methods which are viable i.e.:

1. ask the villagers in the village where the woman is staying to make a police report so that she can be deported; or
2. ask the man bring her back

Both ways failed! No one dare to make a report while the man promised to bring her back if he has money ... the next course of action is to seek the village head help to deport the woman ... hopefully it will be successful.

Telecommunication issue

A reception tower has been put up by CELCOM but the villagers complain that the most of the Jalong Tinggi could not receive CELCOM signal. It can only received in Kampung Kenang, Kampung Langkor and Kampung Landap / Asap. 

I have watsupp the CELCOM Perak state Manager for assistance. Hopefully this issue can be settle a.s.a.p.

Housing

Most of the houses are congested. There are more than 3 families staying in a house. Every year the 'Orang Asal' seek assistance from JAKOA, District Office and Perak state government for addition houses but all not avail. Each time the 'Orang Asal' request for additional housing, the same answer given i.e. not enough allocation for new houses, will look into it, try next year, etc. 

I suggest a direct request to the Minister in-charge shall be helpful. 

Land matter

The populations are growing but the economical development projects are not expand. There are few economic development projects but only a handful of the villagers benefited by the projects. Here, again the same answer answered .... not enough land, most of the land are forest reserve, etc.

Recently bulldozers are moving into the forest reserve. A check to the Forest department shown that logging are allocated in the forest reserve. Its worried the 'Orang Asal' as their water catchment area will be effected, their hunting ground smaller and the jungle "brothers" already out to destroyed plantations. 

A mini hydro project is going to start soon, however, their pledged and promises are not fulfill yet.

EYE SCREENING

Batin Nasiri of KOA Pisang, Jalong Tinggi complaint that he has reddish eye and always tears. He miss the previous eye check in KOA Kenang due to busy schedule. I have arranged him to Dato' Dr Jesvinder Singh, the Ophthalmology Consultant in Hospital Raja Perempuan Bainun, Ipoh on  4 May, 2015. He said he has reddish eye for almost 2 years. Upon consultation he need medication as there is nothing serious.  Batin Nasiri informed me that he was given 2 months medicine, after that he can get the medicine in Sungai Siput Hospital. 

JALONG TINGGI DIALOGUE

The Jalong Tinggi Dialogue is succesfully arranged on 19 April, 2015 in KOA Lawai attended by Dato' Tan Lian Hoe, PAWE Chair Lady. Other VIPSs' are Clr. Liew Soon Sear, Mr Guna (Sg. Siput Consumer Association Chairman) and Ms Phua (Sg. Siput PGRM Wanita Chief). The Sg. Siput POASM Chairman - Mat Seri, KOA Lawai Batin - Batin Anjang and ex-Concillor En. Nordin attended for the OA. The dialogue attracted a number of youngster in Landap Zone consists of 5 'OA kampungs' with estimated population about 2,000 people. This is a continuation from the previous dialogue.

KOA Lawai is the the highest 'OA kampung' in Jalong Tinggi [about 1,800m from sea level]. It is a cooling place with green scenery although the surrounding is a secondary forest. According to the elderly villagers, now day the wild life is not seen as frequent as 15 years ago. 

In the course of the dialogue, the KOA Lawai women shown their hand make products to the VIPs. They need more sewing and embroidery machines. This is part of the women activity in up-lifting their living standard. A verbal request was make to Dato' Tan for assistance. The villagers also need assistance to promote their products. Currently, JAKOA has placed few orders for their products.

2 OA from the SOLS 24/7 came along to the dialogue on my invitation. They are Ms. Norita -  a Semai ethnic from Tapah and A Boi - a Temiar ethnic from Grik. A Boi just returned from Timor Leste as a volunteer to teach English. I brought them along to boost and motivate the young 'OA'. If Norita and A Boi can do it, the local can do it too!

Many issues directly affected their daily life was brought up during the dialogue. The VIPs agreed to bring their plights to the respective agencies. While the dialogue in progress, there was storm and heavy rain which causes trees falls along the road. This delay us for more than 1 hour to cleared up the trees and debris.

I told the VIPs' and delegation that it is not easy to visit the 'OA'. There many challenges that I have to face as they did not visit these places as often as I did.