Latest news with #ColinNicholas
Malaysiakini
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
13MP: Orang Asli activists want concrete details, engagement
Orang Asli activists are demanding concrete details and stakeholder engagement regarding the government's plans to improve the community's welfare under the 13th Malaysia Plan. Centre for Orang Asli Concerns coordinator Colin Nicholas said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's announcements revealed nothing new compared to what has been discussed for months. 'What would be something new is...
The Sun
02-08-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Plan to uplift Orang Asli raises broader concerns
PETALING JAYA: As the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) offers fresh pledges to uplift the Orang Asli, long-time advocate for the community Dr Colin Nicholas is urging the government to move beyond familiar rhetoric and deliver concrete reforms, especially on land rights. The Centre for Orang Asli Concerns coordinator welcomed the inclusion of Orang Asli issues in the national development plan but cautioned that past experience demands scepticism. 'I've been involved in Orang Asli matters since the 1990s, and these kinds of promises have been made many times. 'While it is good that the government is speaking about these concerns again, what is missing are the details, particularly around land rights.' Among the headline initiatives under the plan is a proposed amendment to the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 [Act 134], aimed at reinforcing legal protection of Orang Asli land ownership. Yet, Nicholas fears that such amendments could end up narrowing existing rights rather than strengthening them. 'There is a real concern that the changes might only recognise rights to land that Orang Asli currently live on or farm, not the broader customary territories that are an important part of their heritage. 'This has been a long-standing issue, especially since the 2009 land policy suggested limiting claims to occupied land, although the courts have recognised broader customary rights.' He said it is crucial for the government to take a firm and transparent stance on the matter. 'It would be reassuring to hear a firm commitment that Orang Asli, as the first peoples of this country, have rights not just to settled land but also to their traditional territories.' Nicholas also questioned whether the current legislative framework, built around a single Act, is equipped to handle the complex and multifaceted challenges faced by Orang Asli communities. 'But just like other communities have specific laws for different matters, Orang Asli issues deserve the same treatment. 'A separate Act for Orang Asli land, for instance, would offer more focused protection.' He expressed concern over the level of government control embedded in the existing law, particularly in areas such as the appointment of village headmen and decisions regarding community representation. 'It's important that Orang Asli communities are given space to lead and make decisions for themselves.' On education, Nicholas pointed out the government's lack of follow-through after the tragic 2015 incident in Kelantan, in which seven Orang Asli schoolchildren went missing and five were later found dead. 'That incident deeply affected the community. Yet, we have not seen any clear statement or plan from the government outlining how Orang Asli education will be improved. 'We often hear broad promises, but what we really need now are concrete, actionable steps.' Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said 13MP outlines bold efforts to bridge the gap, highlighting a review of Act 134, expansion of community-based schools in Orang Asli areas and direct educational assistance to ensure fair and consistent access to quality schooling.
South China Morning Post
02-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Mistrust of Malaysian healthcare among Orang Asli minority grows after teen's leprosy death
An indigenous minority group in Malaysia is experiencing profound grief and seeking answers after the death of an 18-year-old from leprosy after receiving public healthcare, highlighting the ongoing mistrust between the Orang Asli community and the government. Advertisement Numbering around 200,000 people, the Orang Asli – which roughly translates to Original People in Malay – are a loose coalition of 18 indigenous tribes living in villages across most states in the peninsula, primarily near national parks or forest reserves. But their struggle to uphold generational hunter-gatherer traditions, along with a deep understanding of jungle medicinal herbs, has largely excluded them from mainstream access to education, power and clean drinking water. They also face regular conflicts over land ownership due to government and business expansion into forested areas. A recent outbreak of leprosy in two Orang Asli villages in the southern state of Negeri Sembilan brought these issues back into stark focus, with the family of the 18-year-old victim questioning how she could have died from the disease. 'The girl did not die of leprosy. Nobody in this day and age dies of leprosy,' Colin Nicholas, founder of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), told This Week in Asia. Advertisement
