WRONG TO SAY ORANG ASLI ARE MARGINALIZED

I refer to the letter, 'A leg-up for Orang Asli", (nst Feb 13) by Datuk S Ambiga.
It is regrettable that the learned President of the Bar Council, for whatever reasons,took the opportunity during the ongoing political crises in Perak to commend and highlighted what the Nizar Administration did in the last 10 months for the Orang Asli in Perak.
What irked me is that, why is it that the Bar Council, all these years never even mentioned, let alone commended or highlighted the Federal Government's effort to improve the socio economic standard of the
Orang Asli community in Malaysia for the last six decades?
I am sure to day the Orang Asli are much better off than their ancestors of 70 years ago when they used to live in deep jungles, far away from civilization
without proper housing. electricity, water, proper food,medical and health care, education and economic activities .
In 1939 ,the British established the Department of Aborigine Affairs,which is now known as Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli,headed by a Director General to oversees to the affairs of the Orang Asli in Malaysia. In 1961 the Federal Government established an Administrative Policy with and objective to integrate the 141,000 Orang Asli community with mainstream Malaysian society, so that they will be at par with all the other communities..
Unfortunately it is not an easy task for the Department to integrate the minority prebumi people, as they still prefer to be among their own community and practice their own culture, customs ,and religious beliefs . About 39% of them still lives in the jungles, 60% in jungle fringes and 1% in kampongs and towns
However the government's effort at improving and uplifting their socio economic standard is ongoing and they are slowly moving out of their cocoons
and leaving the jungles for better life, In 2008 ,RM 58 million was allocated to implement development projects, like better houses with modern amenities , schools ,clinics,community halls roads ,bridges etc.
So it is certainly wrong to say that the Orang Asli are a marginalized group. I do not wish to delve further on the subject, and I leave it to The Director General of JHEOA to give a better picture on whether the Orang Asli are being marginalized or not .


NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA

norshahidmohdnor@gmail.com No. 55 SS 3/41 Kelana Jaya 47300 Petaling Jaya
Tel.03 78730320 , 019 2213647
13 February 2009

MAKE BUKIT LARUT THE VENUE FOR ECO TOURISM

There are people who want upgrading and modern development, including the cable car project for Bukit Larut, while there are others who are nature lovers including myself as a Taipingite , want the surrounding jungles with its flora and fauna , birds and bees, butterflies and insects, monkeys and most probably tigers, preserved for heritage.

Bukit Larut the former Maxwell Hill, is the only hill resort left in Malaysia which has not suffered at the hands of massive development. It will not be long though if the proposal for the cable car project goes through. Instead of spending RM 60 million on the project which I am sure will not be profitable, it would be wise for the State Government to spend around RM 5 million ringgit to improve the present infrastructure and winding steep narrow, 15 km road leading to the top of the hill, including lighting up the whole stretch of the road.This would enable better 4 WD vehicles to make faster trips up and down the hill The drive up on a land rover is indeed a part of the old charm, and many would want to experience it once in a lifetime.
One of the many wonderful features and charms of Bukit Larut is the quiet nights, the charming and romantic atmosphere that it has which is still old and pristine. When one stands on the verandah of the rest house at night facing and looking down at the flickering lights of Taiping town with the cool breeze blowing on one's face and the sounds of crickets and insects droning and buzzing in the nearby jungle, one would feel so peaceful that for a moment one would feel as though one is in a Lost World. This is the feeling that we want our tourists to feel in Bukit Larut, not the sounds of discos , noise from the pubs with wine women and song, or enjoying in the comfort of a five star hotel with a golf course., and swimming pool. Bukit Larut should be the venue for eco-tourism , and if it is kept the way it is today, without changing the whole environment ,it will be on the world map and will become a magnet to not only local but also foreign tourists.
Before bringing in the tourists accommodation must be improved and make sure that there are enough rooms available, maintain the Colonial facade of all the present buildings with repairs and renovations.Refurbish the lobby, the dining hall,and all the bedrooms in the rest house with new furnitures. Toilets facilities with hot and cold running water should be up to international standard and should be maintained at all times
Build a new food court with Asian and Western menu , a convenience store, and internet cafe with wi fi and high speed internet services. I remember the Hill used to have a small post office and this should be revived , with a police post, a clinic with a resident doctor, and a 4 WD ambulance added up.
Next improve on the infrastructure ,by repairing and upgrading the cement steps leading from the base station to Tea Garden. Add iron railing on both sides of the steep steps and build a couple of concrete platforms on both sides of the steps as rest areas, .Theses would provide better access to those who are keen to walk up the hill, and enjoy the sounds and sights of birds from the jungle .
As an eco tourism resort, it should have a camp site where people can pitch their tents ,or provide tents for hire. It should also be equipped with public baths and toilets, BBQ pits, camp fire site etc. As a boy scout in the fifties we used to camp somewhere near Tea Garden,and held campfire and BBQ with our scoutmaster the late Mr Utam Singh. I am sure this will attract Boy Scouts and Youth Groups not only from Malaysia but throughout the world
Build more log (kayu bakau) cabins near the camp sites for visitors who would want to experience living in a jungle for a couple of nights.

Have more well arrange flower gardens with tulips and roses as the main flowers, and turn it to look like an English garden with a small flower shop to sell the flowers to visitors.Establish a nature museum with various species of staffed birds , insects and butterflies,found in Bukit Larut. Provide a better and beautiful park and children"s playground complete with public toilets and amenities where day trip visitors can have their family picnics .
Whatever it is the State Government must appoint a professional managing director with professional workers to manage the Hill Resort for the benefit of not only the local but also foreign tourists.Finally I would like to urge the people of Taiping who loves the town to say definitely 'NO' to the cable car project.

NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA

EDUCATE LITTERBUGS NOT HELP THEM

I refer to your report,"Volunteers to clean up Thaipusam rubbish", (nst Street 4 January).
Year after year, and I am positive that the same scenario at the Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple after Thaipusam this year would be the same , as tons of waste and litter, would be left behind by hawkers,stall holders, visitors, and devotees, for someone else to pick.

Thanks to the Selayang Municipal Council and Alam Flora who as usual, would clear the rubbish and clean up the place within a couple of days. These die hard litterbugs will never learn to keep the place clean, simply because they know that the authorities who are paid will do the job, for them, so why bother?
This year Sampah Masyarakat, a non -profit organisation , together with about 100 volunteers will join the Selayang Municipal and Alam Flora workers to reduce the rubbish left behind during the celebrations.
While I applaud the noble cause , I feel that the move to encourage youths to participate in the cleanliness work ,when everyone has left the site is ridiculous .I dont understand the rational behind the move.
Instead Sampah Masyarakat should organize an educational programme , to remind and to warn the public not to throw rubbish anywhere they like. especially in a sacred place like the Temple. Volunteers should be going around mingling with the people, distributing plastic bags and encourage the people to throw their rubbish into the bag which they should be carrying around until they come to the nearest bin where they can deposit the bag.Volunteers should be given loud hailers to encourage people , hawkers and stall holders not to litter but to put all their rubbish in the bins provided.Enforcement officers should also be going around , warning litterbugs of the possibility of being fine.
If Sampah Masyarakat, the volunteers ,and
the enforcement officers could play their role strictly and positively, I am sure there will be less rubbish to collect from the floor.There is a need to change the mindset of these litterbugs.


NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA