PETALING JAYA, Dec 31 — While some of the more severely affected Orang Asli villages are receiving aid from the government and other disaster-relief services, many other villages that are considered “less urgent” and are being told to wait, said Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) founder Colin Nicholas.
“The authorities are focusing on areas more affected such as in Kuala Krai while the Orang Asli villages in Gua Musang and Kuala Betis are considered less urgent,” he said.
About 5,000 residents in more than 20 Orang Asli villages in Kelantan are still trapped because of inundated roads.
Nicholas said many groups and organisations including the Orang Asli Development Department were ready to help but the problem was getting supplies to the villages.
He said there was little or no access to the villages and government aid has yet to reach them.
“The worst-hit areas include the Kuala Betis and Gua Musang districts where the Orang Asli are either holed up in the shelters or in make-shift homes on higher ground,” he said.
“Although funding is being channelled to these areas, they are not able to buy food as sundry shops are running low on supplies.”
Nicholas said there was also an urgent need for medicine and materials to build shelters as the floods had washed away several homes.
“Although the authorities are doing their best, getting food and basic medical supplies to all must be prioritised,” he said.
He said a representative from the Kuala Betis district reported that the road conditions were deplorable, and poor phone reception was hampering communications.
The COAC and Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia have set up a flood relief fund.
The donations will be distributed to the coordinators to buy items for the victims.
