PUTRAJAYA: The Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134) will be amended to provide absolute power for the Orang Asli community to appoint and sack their Tok Batin (headmen), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy.
He said it was among the resolutions made at the 2019 National Orang Asli Convention opened by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
He said the Orang Asli community no longer sees the power bestowed on ministers in the appointment and removal of their headmen, as provided under Section 16 (1) and Section Seksyen 16 (2) of the Aboriginal Peoples’ Act, as appropriate now.
“They see that if the headman commits an offence that requires him to be removed from the post, it is for them (Orang Asli community) to decide.
“I welcome the suggestion and will propose for an amendment to the law to empower the Orang Asli community after the setting up of the Customary Council,” he told reporters at a session to summarise the outcome of the convention here today. – Bernama
