Angry Orang Asli demand public apology from Shafie
(Free Malaysia Today) – Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal has got himself into a pickle with the Orang Asli community for trivialising their presence in Putrajaya last month.
The affronted Orang Aslis are now demanding that Shafie issue a public apology for his comments which they claimed were “insulting and derisive”.
Speaking on behalf of the 27,841 Orang Asli families in Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang Orang Asli community spokesman Yusri Ahon said Shafie’s description of their gathering in Putrajaya last month was hurtful.
“We are upset with his comment. He has insulted us by saying that when we gathered in Putrajaya it was like a holiday visit and without purpose.
“This is not true… we were there for a purpose, which was to voice our objections to an unfair land policy and to forward a memorandum on our rights.
“We want him to openly apologise to the Orang Asli community,” said Yusri, alluding to a historic protest by 1,000 Orang Aslis against a recently passed land policy which they claimed is unfair to them.
On March 18, 13 busloads of Orang Asli arrived in Putrajaya to show their unhappiness toward a policy which ignored the fundamental rights of indigenous people.
A delegation of five Orang Asli, representing the protesters, handed over two memorandums, signed by 9,000 Orang Aslis, to Shafie.
