K'tan Orang Asli elated, grateful over RM200 mln federal allocation to upgrade roads

GUA MUSANG - Over 2,000 Orang Asli from around this district will be among those who will benefit from a RM200 million government allocation for road upgrading projects in several Orang Asli settlements in Kelantan.

When met by Bernama, members of the community expressed gratitude and happiness over the allocation as they will now get to enjoy more comfortable village roads.

Pos Belatim Orang Asli Village Development and Safety Committee (JPKKOA) chairman Roireng Ngah said the announcement was something that rural residents had been waiting for over 60 years.

"Alhamdulillah we are grateful for this long-awaited news. Our thanks to the Madani government for taking rural residents’ concerns seriously.

"We hope with better roads now, the locals will be able to transport out our rubber yields quicker and easier, without the need to rely on middlemen any longer. This way, we also earn more,” he told Bernama today.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, announced that the government has approved an allocation of RM200 million for road upgrading projects in several Orang Asli settlements in Kelantan.

Ahmad Zahid, who announced the allocation when speaking at the Kelantan state-level "Sentuhan Kasih Desa” programme at Dataran Kesedar Paloh 2 here, said the projects would involve the Kuala Betis-Pos Balar and Pos Belatim-Kuala Betis-Pos Bihai areas in Gua Musang.

A resident of Kampung Bihai Lama, Pos Bihai, Nari Abus, 47, said the road upgrade project will resolve logistics issues faced by Orang Asli who lived in remote areas.

"I am happy to hear this news. With this, I hope there are no more problems where our children are unable to go to school or Orang Asli communities being cut off from food aid during the flood season,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Orang Asli Head of Village Chiefs Bidi Ronggeng hopes that the project can be completed before the monsoon season sets in at the end of the year.

"Alhamdulillah, I am grateful and I believe the announcement will lead to a more comfortable life for the Orang Asli in the remote areas,” he said.