Indigenous peoples in Malaysia

The peoples of the Orang Asli, the Orang Ulu, and the Anak Negeri groups together constitute the indigenous population of Malaysia. Although Malaysia has adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the country’s indigenous population is facing a number of challenges, especially in terms of land rights.

Malaysia: Court rules in favour of indigenous orang asli

Written on 20 December 2012. Posted in Malaysia

On 19 December, in what lawyers call a landmark decision, a high court in Malaysia has order parts of Malay reserve land to be degazetted. Judge khtar Tahir ruled that the reserve land was subservient to orang asli rights as they were the earliest inhabitants. The Malay reserve land in question encroached into more than 2,000ha of disputed orang asli customary land in Bera. The judge directed the Pahang Land and Mines Office to gazette the whole area as orang asli customary land within a year.

Tags: Land rights

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