BN's Fairul Nizam pledges better housing, living conditions for Melaka Orang Asli

ALOR GAJAH: Improving housing and basic amenities for the Orang Asli community will remain a priority for Barisan Nasional's Asahan candidate Datuk Dr Fairul Nizam Roslan, who hopes to secure a special state allocation to address their needs.

He said although the Melaka government had gazetted land belonging to Orang Asli communities in all 14 villages statewide, more needed to be done to improve their living conditions, particularly housing and sanitation.

"All Orang Asli land in Melaka has been gazetted, so they need not worry about that.

"However, we must continue improving their living conditions, including home ownership, housing repairs and even basic facilities such as toilets.

"Some have questioned why we are focusing on toilets, but this is about their wellbeing. Without proper sanitation facilities, people may have to relieve themselves in unsuitable places, which could lead to diseases.

"Besides education, having a comfortable and safe place to live is equally important for the Orang Asli community," he told reporters after attending the Ceramah Gelombang Biru programme last night.

Fairul Nizam said efforts to improve the community's living standards were not new, with several initiatives already implemented over the past two years under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He expressed hope that a special allocation for Orang Asli housing could be introduced under the Melaka state budget should BN secure victory in the state election.

"God willing, after we win, we hope there will be a special allocation under the state budget specifically for Orang Asli housing," he said.

Fairul Nizam said housing assistance for the community currently falls under the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), which oversees both Melaka and Negri Sembilan under a single director.

He said the arrangement meant Melaka received relatively limited housing allocations, as Negri Sembilan had a larger number of Orang Asli settlements.

"This is why we need the state government to step in and provide additional assistance.

"The state government has already done a great deal for the Orang Asli, particularly in education, insurance coverage and other forms of assistance.

"However, housing remains an area requiring further attention," he said.

He said discussions on the matter had taken place at the state level even before the dissolution of the state assembly, following concerns raised during community engagement programmes.

Fairul Nizam also expressed confidence in retaining the support of Orang Asli voters, citing his close relationship with the community over the past four years and 10 months.