Letter of Clarification by Colin Nicholas (Center For Orang Asli Concerns)
The Editor
Malaysiakini.com
Dear Steven and Aidila,
Re: ‘Historic Orang Asli show of force’
Thank you for your very good coverage of the Orang Asli protest at Putrajaya on Wednesday.
However, I only realised after some emails from friends that I had been incorrectly identified as the protest coordinator, let alone as an indigenous rights activist. I do not claim to be the latter, and certainly was not the protest coordinator. My designation, whenever asked by any person for any purpose or activity, has always been as coordinator of the Center for Orang Asli Concerns.
The protest was mooted and organised by a group of Orang Asli leaders and activists from as early as December 2009 when news of the amendments to the Aboriginal Peoples Act and the Orang Asli Land Policy was first heard of. Through the dedication and energy of Orang Asli leaders such as Tijah Yok Chopil, Yusri, Shafie Dris, Abri and many others, they organised a series of village talks and other activities to raise awareness of the amendments and to galvanise a peninsular-wide movement among the Orang Asli.
The key Orang Asli organisations involved were SPNS, the Network of Orang Asli Villages in Perak (JKOAPerak) and the Network of Orang Asli Villages in Pahang (JKOAPahang). Since then, more Orang Asli networks have been formed – in Negri Sembilan, Sungai Siput, Muar, Melaka-Johor and Bekok. This is a significant development in Orang Asli politics. And ALL the credit go to the Orang Asli themselves and their leaders. They were the protest organisers.
In this regard, I should add that the need for the grassroots Orang Asli and their communities to come together as they did was also in response to the weak leadership role played by the Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Association (POASM), both in this issue and in others concerning Orang Asli Affairs of late.
I hope you will carry this clarification so that your readers will know the ones who really worked very hard to organise the historic Orang Asli protest.
Colin Nicholas
Coordinator
Center for Orang Asli Concerns