KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Deputy Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad will have a meeting with the Orang Asli community in Ulu Nenggiri sub-district, Gua Musang, Kelantan regarding the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the area.

He said the meeting would discuss the dissatisfaction of residents in three areas, Kampung Pos Tohoi, Pos Wias and Pos Pulat.

"I have discussed with the Kelantan Orang Asli Development Department director and I myself will attend the meeting to discuss the matter in a heart-to-heart discussion with them,” he said in a media conference after attending the 2022 Orang Asli Entrepreneur Carnival pre-launch here today.

He was commenting on the protest held by the Orang Asli community in front of the Prime Minister’s Office at Putrajaya on June 7 and the handing over of a memorandum protesting the construction of the hydroelectric dam.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) said in a statement the same day that it received a memorandum from the Kelantan Network of Orang Asli Villages (JKOAK) that raised several concerns about the construction of the 300 megawatt (MW) installation.

Abdul Rahman said the project had received the approval of Orang Asli residents in the area, and involved resettlement offers to 238 heads of household.

He said the offer included a house site of 0.2 hectares and a 750 square foot house, orchard land (0.2 hectare), rubber smallholding (2.2 hectare), and public facilities such as schools, kindergartens, treatment halls, surau and shoplots.

According to him, the 1,337 hectare resettlement area was also situated near the original site.

"This facility will be built immediately to provide them with comfort and is not a small matter but costs millions of ringgit.

"Payments for relocation involves relocation allowance of RM500 per head of household, necessities assistance (RM200) and living allowance (RM683) for five years as long as the rubber smallholding has not produced any yield,” he added. — Bernama