KUANTAN, Jan 19 — The Department of Orang Asli (JKOA) needs at least RM200 million to rebuild the infrastructure in Orang Asli settlements severely affected by the recent floods.

Its Director-General Datuk Hasnan Hassan said a total of 253 Aboriginal residents were affected by the floods on December 28, resulting in bridges, roads and houses in the affected areas requiring repairs.

In Pahang itself, Hasnan anticipated that the cost of reconstruction in 67 villages would be about RM50 million.

“We anticipate that more money is needed in Kelantan, especially in Gua Musang and Kuala Krai for Aboriginal settlements in remote and isolated areas,” he said.

Hasnan was speaking at a press conference after attending the 2014 bonus and dividend giving ceremony to Pahang aborigines under the Commercial Replanting Scheme (TSK) at the Pahang Foundation Complex here, today.

Also present were Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, JKOA State Director, Isa Ab Hamid and Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) State Director, Wan Ahmad Zainuddin Wan Mohamad Shabri. 

Hasnan said he hoped for ‘good news’ in the 2015 budget restructuring expected to be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tomorrow.

“Due to the floods, we need to make some adjustments as to how the allocation will be spent. More money will be distributed to the seriously affected areas such as Kelantan and Pahang, compared with the states, which were less affected like Selangor and Melaka,” he said.

Hasnan also noted that in Kelantan, about 2,000 students from the Orang Asli settlements failed to go to school, after access to the villages was damaged due to the floods.

“We try to identify students before we can put them in boarding schools. But we need the cooperation of the various agencies to assist in the re-building of infrastructure in those areas,” he said.

At the event, a total of 3,454 TSK participants received dividends amounting to RM24.38 million, an average payment of RM650 each while the bonus payment amounted to RM2.38 million.

Meanwhile, Adnan called on the Orang Asli to be more pro-active and take their own initiatives if they wished to progress, besides the aid and facilities provided by the government.

He said the government was always concerned about the welfare of the Orang Asli including their homes by ensuring that they had their own land to build their houses.

“So, we hope that after being assisted, such as when they receive the dividend, don’t forget to save. Don’t spend the money lavishly within one day,” he reminded.

The mentri besar also praised the cooperation and discipline of the Orang Asli community in Pahang in complying with the order to move out, besides the strong coordination between the JKOA and the rescue agencies, which facilitated the process of aid distribution. — Bernama