Pahang government targets illegal land encroachment to protect Orang Asli interests

The Pahang state government is intensifying enforcement against large-scale illegal land encroachment to protect permanent forest reserves, water catchment areas, and national parks. Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad, Chairman of the Committee for Islamic Religious Affairs, Rural Development, and Orang Asli Affairs, stated that while the government supports the Orang Asli community in small-scale land use for housing and subsistence farming, it will not tolerate unauthorized exploitation of land.

To ensure the welfare and land rights of the indigenous community, the state is strengthening cooperation with the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) and Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (ORACO). This collaboration aims to identify legitimate local residents to ensure they receive appropriate benefits and development. Syed Ibrahim noted that 32 Orang Asli villages have already been gazetted, with another 32 currently undergoing measurement and land processing.

Efforts are also underway to compile accurate lists of local residents to prevent outsiders from exploiting the Orang Asli name to seize land. The government intends to return illegally cleared land to the state for future determination of its use and development.