Kelantan govt willing to negotiate with fed govt over issues on Orang Asli

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government is willing to negotiate with the federal government on various issues involving the Orang Asli in the state.
Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the reason being that the problem not only concerned logging, but also other matters, especially administration by the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA).
"Based on our last meeting with the representatives of the Orang Asli community, it was not just about logging, but also their dissatisfaction over the administration of their welfare by the federal government through JAKOA," he told reporters after the weekly state executive council meeting here today.
Yesterday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, in his Facebook entry, had stated that he received a visit from Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Commissioner Jerald Joseph and Peninsular Malaysia Director-General Datuk Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud to discuss issues on management of natural resources and also the Orang Asli community.
On the blockade by the Orang Asli in Pos Simpor, Gua Musang, Mohd Amar said not all the Orang Asli agreed with the action by the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Jaringan) Kelantan.
"I'm made to understand that 50 Orang Asli had lodged a police report on the blockades by Jaringan, claiming that they are causing them inconvenience.
"We cannot negotiate with Jaringan as it is not a registered body," he said. — Bernama