GUA MUSANG, Oct 8 — The Orang Asli community in Kelantan has welcomed the government’s move to allocate RM305 million under Budget 2023, an increase from this year’s budget, to improve their living standards.

A resident of Pos Pulat, Fauziah Ajis, 35, said the rubber and oil palm replanting projects proposed under Budget 2023 would benefit over 100 Orang Asli residents in her village.

Members of the Orang Asli community living at Pos Pulat are pictured less than four days before the presentation of the 2023 Budget. The Orang Asli community is hoping for good news, especially involving the improvement of infrastructure facilities in their area. — Bernama pic

“If there are rubber and oil palm trees, we can increase our income because right now we only depend on small crops such as cucumbers, eggplants and long beans,” she said when met by reporters, here today.

The replanting projects are expected to benefit over 2,100 Orang Asli in Kemaman in Terengganu, Bera in Pahang and Gua Musang in Kelantan.

The resident of Kampung Gawin, Suda Alok, 46, also expressed gratitude for the government’s continued efforts to ensure the livelihood of the Orang Asli community.

“I am grateful that the government listened to our requests for facilities and infrastructure improvements and socioeconomic development,” she said.

Finance Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz when tabling the Supply Bill 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday said the government allocated a total of RM305 million for the Orang Asli community compared to RM274 million this year to implement social assistance programmes, improvement of living standards and development integrated with the Orang Asli settlements, among other things. — Bernama