KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Some indigenous non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were paid by outsiders to intentionally raise land rights issues related to the community, Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) director-general Datuk Sapiah Mohd Nor has reportedly claimed.

She reportedly told Utusan Malaysia that the NGOs involved had also allegedly admitted that they would lose their funding if they did not do as told.

"We do not deny that there are honest NGOs that often meet with Jakoa to discuss other related issues but there are some that were paid to stir up controversies,” she told the paper.

She did not name the NGOs involved but said this came to light after Jakoa's engagement session with the NGOs.

"They were silent during the briefing but at the end of the session, the NGO activist came to me personally, maybe they were embarrassed to say this out loud openly,” she reportedly said.

She said the "heart to heart” discussion revealed so-called "secrets” as to why they were allegedly actively going against Jakoa and inciting the Orang Asli to hate the government.

She said although she was shocked by the disclosure, she had remained open-minded as she did not want them to continue being exploited by outsiders.

She voiced her disappointment that there is a "commission” that is perceived to intentionally let the Orang Asli remain backwards and neglected without modernisation.

She admitted that she had argued with an officer from the commission who wanted the Orang Asli to continue wearing loincloths like exhibits of a live museum.

"We are now in the 21st century but the commission wants to sideline the Orang Asli so that they remain nomadic and without basic amenities like during the pre-Merdeka era,” she said.

She said their actions were insulting whereas in developed countries like New Zealand, the indigenous community lived modern lives like the rest of the citizens.

The report said it is estimated that there are more than 220,000 Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia, including the Negrito, Senoi and Melayu Proto, living in 853 Orang Asli settlements.

In August, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia chairman Tijah Yok Chopil called out Jakoa for not backing impoverished members of their indigenous community who have gone to court to fight for their rights against developers.

Tijah claimed the government agency established to represent the peninsula natives would "always” appear for their opponents whenever there were land disputes that involved encroachment, theft, illegal logging and trespass.