GUA MUSANG: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Was Ismail has directed the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) and other relevant agencies to take measures to help improve the wellbeing and health of the Orang Asli community in the country.
She said that the Orang Asli are facing a host of problems that need to be addressed immediately.
"They are hunter-gatherers, but their roaming areas are shrinking.
“They are now finding limited sources of protein. On top of that, they are being pressured by modernisation and poverty.
"Their immunity to viral diseases and chronic ailments is also (impaired). Outsiders may spread diseases unfamiliar to the tribes,” she said after a briefing by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) here following the recent deaths of 12 members of the Batek tribe community in Kuala Koh.
Dr Wan Azizah also met with 10 families of victims and presented food donated by various agencies.
Also present were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator P Waytha Moorthy and state police chief Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan.
According to Dr Wan Azizah, the government will compensate the families of those affected by the tragedy.
"We will try to speed up the process of compensating the victims.
“Meanwhile, members of the public who wish to donate can contribute food items, mineral water, slippers and survival kits," she added.
Dr Wan Azizah said that the relevant agencies, including the State Department of Environment, had taken samples from rivers in Kuala Koh, and early findings showed that the water quality is good, and therefore the deaths cannot be linked to the water resource.
"The Chemistry Department’s test results on June 12 showed that the water quality met the national drinking water standard for raw water.
"Tests by the Department of Environment also showed that the water was not contaminated by manganese waste at Aring 10.
"Laboratory results are expected to be in soon," she said, adding that a health crisis of this scale has never been faced by the Batek community of Kuala Koh.
Nevertheless, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said that the general wellbeing of the Orang Asli in Kuala Koh is in good hands.
"However, the area leading to the settlement has been declared a red zone.
“For the safety and health of tribe members, the public will not be allowed to enter the zone," she added.
Meanwhile, Hasanuddin said that police have classified the death of eight of the victims, including four females, as “sudden death,” based on preliminary investigations.
He added that the official cause of deaths will only be determined after the results from the forensic department are submitted.
Hasanuddin said that more than 200 officers including 173 policemen are involved in the operation codenamed 'Ops Batek,' which started on Wednesday.
The team, divided into three groups, has so far discovered eight bodies and skeletal remains of the Orang Asli tribe located between 600 metres and 6km from the operation centre.
The remains were identified as those of Mek Nab Tebu, 63, Jais Keladi, 55, Laila Hamdan, 20, Safia Papan, 18, Fayah Papan, 19, Din Hamdan, 18, 1-year-old Mohd Salleh Khaizan and Jelika Jong, whose age has not been revealed.
Police are continuing their search for the remaining eight tribe members, including those who were buried on the other side of Sungai Lebir.