Awareness on voting among Orang Asli increasing

BALING: The awareness about the importance of voting among the Kensiu Orang Asli tribe in Kampung Lubuk Legong here is increasing and their hope is for an elected representative who can resolve their issues.

Kampung Lubuk Legong is one of the many Orang Asli villages in Kedah which comprises 359 people from the Kensiu tribe from 88 families, with the number of voters totalling 202 people.

Village head Razali Kulim said the villagers understand what the election is all about and are excited about casting their ballots on Aug 12, adding that the Kensiu tribe faces two main problems, namely economy and education.

"The Orang Asli community are starting to understand the importance of these two factors to take them forward. So, I hope the state government will look into these two problems faced by the Orang Asli community.

"We also understand that (the state election is) to find leaders who can resolve the people's problems at the village level, including social, education and basic issues," he told Bernama here today.

Razali said even villagers who have moved out had told him that they will return to the village a day before polling day (Aug 12) to fulfil their responsibilities.

Meanwhile, a voter, Ubal Kulim, 36, hopes that the elected candidate will pay attention to the welfare and safety of all races in Kedah.

"I hope we will get a leader who can also protect the rights of all races in Malaysia," he said.

Forty-year-old Wati Tero, meanwhile, hopes that the state polls will lead to the creation of a state government comprising leaders who are honest, trustworthy and sincere in defending the rights of all races, "be it Orang Asli, Malays or Chinese".

Shamsiah Kulim, 32, also hopes that the elected leader will focus on the issue of school dropouts among the Kensiu children.

"(In addition) If possible, anyone who governs Kedah, look at us the Kensiu community in Kedah as one of the oldest communities in the world," she said.

-- BERNAMA