Honour reform promises, uphold Orang Asli land rights – 24 NGOs tell PM

We, the undersigned civil society organisations and individuals, are deeply concerned by reports that, within a single month, several Orang Asli communities across the peninsula have faced eviction, harassment, police arrests, sudden unannounced developments, and the removal of anti-logging blockades by the authorities.

In January 2026, it was reported that 51 residents, of 14 families, comprising an Orang Asli settlement in Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve in Dungun, Terengganu were facing eviction from their land by the state government to make way for a religious education institution.

While reports claimed that the community had only resided on the land since 2016, checks have found that the land formed part of the traditional customary land of the Orang Asli who were resettled in Sungai Pergam.

The community in question had chosen to return to their ancestral land. They initially made frequent visits, especially during the fruit season. Over time, a few elders chose to stay permanently. The elders were joined by others who chose to return to their customary lands after 2016, when it became difficult for them to eke out a living in the resettlement site.

On 9 February 2026, 21 Orang Asli villagers from Kampung Jemeri in Rompin, Pahang were detained by police following complaints from a company claiming rights to develop land… who only obtained title to the 781.281 hectares oil palm plantation developed by the Orang Asli smallholders less than a month ago, on 26 January.

These were customary lands of the Jakun smallholders who had opened their smallholding there 13 years ago.

The authorities alleged the villagers trespassed, damaged a barrier, and harvested oil palm fruit, while community representatives maintain that the Orang Asli were defending their ancestral land without having given free, prior, and informed consent to any development.

On 11 February, a press conference was held at Pusat Kraftangan Orang Asli Pulau Carey to highlight the recent announcement of Westport expansion that had been approved without the free, prior and informed consent of communities.

Lanuza Layun, the leader from Kampung Sungai Kurau, said that activities of land reclamation can now be seen from the coasts of his village and they have been denied access to certain areas of their customary territories.

Preliminary research by RimbaWatch has identified a proposed oil storage terminal adjacent to the territories of Kampung Sungai Kurau, which poses serious risks of pollution, habitat destruction and coastal degradation, further threatening the environment and the livelihoods of the Orang Asli.

On 12 February, anti-logging blockades set up by the Orang Asli at Simpang Cerkep and Bereglag in Pos Simpor, Gua Musang, Kelantan were torn down. The blockades had been established to protect their forests and ancestral territories.

Images and videos shared by the communities show police and uniformed personnel using chainsaws to remove the barriers.

The Forestry Department later informed the communities that logging activities by the company would continue.

These blockades follow an August 2025 memorandum submitted by the communities of Pos Simpor to protest a 2,000ha resort-cum-agriculture development on Gunung Chamah, citing encroachment on customary lands and threats to forests, wildlife and their way of life.

Located within the Central Forest Spine, Gunung Chamah is an environmentally sensitive area known for its rich biodiversity, including the rare Rafflesia su-meiae.

All these cases materialised in the span of just one month. It is clear that these events are not isolated; they reflect deep and systemic marginalisation and exploitation of the Orang Asli by state institutions, private interests, and development policies that prioritise profit over indigenous customary lands, where most of the country’s remaining natural resources are now concentrated.

“We rise not out of incitement, but because our land has been encroached upon, our rights denied and our dignity trampled,” said Keria Peletak, the headman of Kampung Jemeri in a press statement issued by the community.

“If the project continues, we worry that the Nipah leaves that we depend on for our crafts and cultural identity would be extinct,” said Maznah Unyan, the leader of the well-known Tompoq Topoh, the first Mah Meri women-led initiative on the island who had shared their crafts and cultural performances nationally and internationally.

“Many people assume that these issues only affect the Orang Asli, when in fact environmental issues impact everyone and therefore must be addressed collectively,” said Dendi, the community leader of Pos Simpor.

“We try to protect the remaining forests, but without support from mainstream society, the mission to save our forests becomes much more difficult. What is even more disheartening is when these efforts are belittled by those who are ‘educated’.”

Commitment or empty promises?

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that justice can only be held if Malays, Chinese, Indians and Orang Asli are all [seen] as one team, when he spoke at the closing of the Selangor PKR convention recently.

In line with this, we wish to remind everyone that the prime minister also affirmed the right of the Orang Asli to preserve their customary lands and safeguard their welfare in the 2023 Pakatan Harapan manifesto, described at the time as “the promises to the people”.

The Malaysia Bar opined that existing federal powers are adequate to address Orang Asli land issues (Malaysian Bar, 2024).

Despite many years of advocacy, including a comprehensive national inquiry on Indigenous peoples’ land rights in 2013 and many landmark court decisions, substantive recommendations have repeatedly been presented to political leaders.

Yet, we remain concerned that these calls continue to fall on deaf ears and risk being ignored once again.

Recommendations

In the light of the need to protect the rights of Orang Asli through a stronger and more equitable legislative framework, we wish to reiterate the joint demands outlined in the memorandum of recommendations to amend the Orang Asli Act 1954, developed by a grassroots coalition comprising 15 Orang Asli-based organisations and individuals back in January 2026:

• Explicit legal recognition of Orang Asli customary land and territories
• Implementation of full, prior and informed consent as genuine consent, not symbolic consultation
• Full respect for the right of the Orang Asli to self-determination
• The amendment process of the Orang Asli Act to be halted until legally binding recognition of Orang Asli customary land and territories is included
• Full disclosure of the draft bill and consultant’s report to Orang Asli communities

Lastly, in solidarity with the ongoing struggles of the Orang Asli to defend their rights to their customary lands, we issue this call to the prime minister to honour his commitments and deliver on his promises to implement meaningful institutional and legislative reforms:

• The Malaysian government to uphold its obligations under the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Under Article 19, the government must “consult and cooperate in good faith” with the Orang Asli and secure their “free, prior, and informed consent” on all matters that affect them.
• As chair of the National Land Council, the prime minister has a unique responsibility to take immediate action to protect Orang Asli land rights. By doing so, he can fulfil his promises, uphold justice for Indigenous communities and demonstrate strong, inclusive leadership in safeguarding Malaysia’s cultural and environmental heritage.
• Direct a full disclosure of the draft bill and consultant’s report on the amendments to the Orang Asli Act to Orang Asli communities immediately.
• Adopt and implement the recommendations set out in the national inquiry on Indigenous peoples’ land rights by Suhakam, the Malaysian human rights commission.

We urge the prime minister to ensure that consultations with Orang Asli communities are meaningful, inclusive and truly representative, involving women, men, youth, elders, residents of registered villages and kampung serpihan (satellite villages), as well as recognised civil society groups such as Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS), Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli SeMalaysia (JKOASM), the Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), and the Malaysian Bar.

Consultations should also include independent legal, anthropological and community experts to ensure decisions respect Orang Asli rights and uphold free, prior and informed consent (eg Tony Williams Hunt, Dr Yogeswaran, Dr Rusaslina Idrus, Dr Kamal Solhaimi Fadzil, Dr Juli Edo, Dr Suria Angit and Dr Izandis).

Endorsed by the following organisations:

1. RimbaWatch
2. Aliran
3. Alliance Of River Three
4. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
5. Demokrat Malaya
6. Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia Berhad
7. Gerakan Gabungan Anti-Imperialis (Gegar)
8. Greenpeace Malaysia
9. Hayat
10. Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)
11. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall – Civil Rights Committee (KLSCAH-CRC)
12. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet)
13. Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (Proham)
14. Pertubuhan Suara Anak Sabah
15. Pertubuhan Wanita Orang Asal Malaysia (PWOAM)
16. Ruang Lawan Malaysia
17. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia [SABM]
18. Seeds Malaysia
19. SPARC UTEM
20. Student Progressive Front UUM
21. Suaram
22. Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement
23. Tonibung
24. Yayasan Kajian dan Pembangunan Masyarakat

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