SHAH ALAM, Dec 29 — About 60 per cent of the 74 Orang Asli villages in Selangor have been gazetted by the state government so far to prevent encroachment by irresponsible parties, according to a state executive councillor.
State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said the remaining 40 per cent is expected to be gazetted within three years.
“We need to immediately gazette the Orang Asli villages to prevent others from taking over and managing the land arbitrarily,” he told reporters after a ceremony to hand over allocations to the Selangor Christians Religious Association here today.
Hee said for next year, the state government has allocated RM1 million for the development of Orang Asli, comprising RM500,000 for gazetting the villages and RM500,000 for upgrading their infrastructure.
At the event, the state government presented RM237,000 to 23 churches in Selangor to help the houses of worship management carry out activities including repairing their premises. — Bernama