In Malaysia, over 1,000 Orang Asli rally for land rights: ‘we’re not going anywhere’

More than 1,000 Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia, rallied outside a federal ministry in Putrajaya on Friday in a rare mass protest to demand recognition of their ancestral land and an end to evictions and development on their territories. Many wore traditional headgear as they marched through Malaysia’s administrative capital, carrying signs reading “Orang Asli are not immigrants”, “Respect the Orang Asli right to self-determination” and “Our voices will not be silenced”. Organisers said the crowd represented 19 tribes and communities. The Orang Asli number more than 225,000 but remain a small minority in the Muslim-majority country, where land is largely controlled by state governments and many customary territories remain vulnerable when communities lack formal title. The demonstration targeted Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also oversees the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa). “You have oppressed us from independence until today,” Nur Mohd Syafiq Dendi Abdullah from the Temiar tribe said in his rally speech. “Why does the government still deny customary land? We did not come from anywhere else, and we are not going anywhere.” Protesters demanded that the government recognise customary territories under the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, stop encroachment on villages and seek the consent of communities before approving projects affecting their land. One of Zahid’s special officers accepted the protesters’ memorandum about an hour after the rally began. No help given Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, representing several communities, accused Jakoa of siding with developers and state governments rather than defending Orang Asli interests. “They absolutely reject Jakoa,” said Rajesh, who is also representing the Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia. “When Orang Asli asks for help, Jakoa does not help them.” He said the protesters wanted Zahid to replace Jakoa’s director general with an official who would protect the community’s rights. Rajesh also cited a recent dispute in Pahang, where activists said seven Orang Asli homes were demolished without a court order. He said 12 Orang Asli had also been charged with criminal trespass after entering land they regarded as ancestral territory. How can people who have lived on the land for centuries be charged with trespassing Rajesh Nagarajan, a lawyer “How can people who have lived on the land for centuries be charged with trespassing on their own land?” he asked. Malaysian courts have recognised customary land rights in landmark cases – including the 2002 Sagong Tasi ruling, in which the courts ruled against the Selangor state in favour of the Temuan tribe. But activists say disputes over logging, plantations, dams and other development continue. Zahid said last year that amendments to the 71-year-old Aboriginal Peoples Act would strengthen protections and were expected to be tabled in parliament in March 2026. He said the amendments were intended “not to deny rights but to strengthen protection for the Orang Asli community”, and that engagement sessions with state leaders and representatives from 377 Orang Asli villages were continuing. Land ownership issues required cooperation with state governments, which had jurisdiction over land matters, he added. But Orang Asli groups said in January that the consultation process had fallen short and that proposals presented to them failed to expressly recognise customary land and territories, local media reported. Friday’s demonstration was among the largest Orang Asli mobilisations in Putrajaya since about 2,500 people protested a proposed land policy in 2010. Ismail Leh, a representative of a peninsula-wide Orang Asli network, said communities were being “arrested on their own land” while customary territories were cleared and handed over to companies. “The government must pay serious attention,” he said. “Do not oppress the Orang Asli in their own country.”

In Malaysia, over 1,000 Orang Asli rally for land rights: ‘we’re not going anywhere’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The protesters want Kuala Lumpur to recognise their claims, stop encroachment and seek consent before approving projects on ancestral land

The protesters want Kuala Lumpur to recognise their claims, stop encroachment and seek consent before approving projects on ancestral land