Temuan - Taking on MB's invitation

Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim suggested that the Temuan Orang Asli community take the matter of their land to court. This piece of advise, however, was interpreted as a challenge to the Orang Asli by a Malay language daily.

The Temuan Orang Asli of Mukim Tanjung 12, have heeded his so-called challenge. They have come out in force, in an attempt to settle this long standing issue.

This is a legal battle for their cultural survival and they don't plan to back down, even if it means taking the matter to the International Court of Justice.

Yesterday they filed a writ of summons against the Selangor State Government, Kuala Langat land office and Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd. This is the first step.

The Temuan is seeking a declaration that the area known as Mukim Tanjung 12, encompassing almost eighteen thousand acres belongs to the Orang Asli kaum Temuan.

They are also seeking an injunction to stop mining activities and transactions in the Mukim.

Temuan community leaders who were present at the Shah Alam court for the filing are hopeful that the rights to their ancestral land will be settled once and for all.

Kumpulan semesta sdn bhd, a Selangor state government-owned company, is behind the mining activities in the Mukim. The company is alleged to have been involved in illegal sand mining. A worker was also accused of soliciting kickbacks from a sand mining contractor.

Yet, when probed for corruption by the Selangor Competency Accountability and Transparency committee, the company was given the all clear.

Battling against such a large giant, it is difficult to even predict what the fate of the Temuan might be.