GUA MUSANG, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- The Kelantan government has identified five priority needs affecting 1,524 Orang Asli residents in the Pasik Resettlement Scheme (RPS) and Kampung Kuala Wok through the Nenggiri Kembara Rakyat (People's Outreach) Programme.
Nenggiri Assemblyman Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani said the key areas requiring immediate attention are home repairs, mitigation of wild elephant disturbances, electricity supply, the Essential Goods Distribution Programme, and the Jualan Rahmah programme.
He said visits to the two remote settlements on Aug 3 and 4 found that many homes were in poor condition and required urgent repairs, including roof replacement, structural maintenance, and rewiring of unsafe electrical systems.
“There are also requests for the construction of new houses to accommodate the growing population, particularly newly married couples. We will discuss this matter with the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA),” he told reporters here today.
Mohd Azmawi Fikri said residents have also been living under the constant threat of wild elephants since 2022, with the animals disrupting daily activities and raising safety concerns.
He added that the government is considering residents' request to include RON95 petrol under the Essential Goods Distribution Programme for RPS Pasik, as the nearest petrol station is about 50 kilometres away.
Authorities are also studying proposals to increase the frequency of the Program Jualan Rahmah to help ease the cost of living for communities in the remote settlements.
Mohd Azmawi Fikri said access to RPS Pasik and Kampung Kuala Wok is challenging, requiring four-wheel-drive vehicles to travel a round-trip distance of about 200 kilometres from Gua Musang.
He said the difficult journey underscores the challenges faced by residents in obtaining essential goods and accessing basic services.
-- BERNAMA