GUA MUSANG, Aug 1 — The construction of a new settlement for nearly 1,200 Orang Asli villagers affected by the Nenggiri hydroelectric project is expected to be fully completed by March 2026, according to Gua Musang district chief Nik Raisnan Daud.

He said work on the resettlement area, which spans over 832 hectares and is located near the original settlement of the affected Orang Asli, has achieved almost 25 per cent progress.

He said the Orang Asli residents, who include 249 heads of households from Pos Pulat, Pos Tohoi, and Kg Wias, will enjoy better and more comfortable basic infrastructure at the new settlement.

"They will be divided into two areas — Plot A involves Orang Asli residents from Pos Pulat and Kg Wias in Bukit Beringin, while Plot B involves residents from Pos Tohoi in Kuala Yai.

"In addition, they can also improve their socioeconomic conditions in the new area with the cooperation of the federal and state governments, such as through the Orang Asli Development Department,” he said when met by Bernama at the Gua Musang District and Land Office recently.

The new settlement will comprise a 0.2-hectare site with houses of 750 square feet each, a 0.2-hectare orchard, a 2.2-hectare rubber plantation and public facilities such as schools, kindergartens, a treatment centre, a surau, and shop lots.

When completed by mid-2027, the RM5 billion Nenggiri hydroelectric project will create a 53.84 sq km Main Reservoir Lake and a 0.97 sq km Flow Regulation Pond.

The project, which has entered the construction phase, will create 2,000 job opportunities for the Orang Asli community and local residents and generate 300 megawatts of electricity when it begins operation.

The project will also increase renewable energy capacity in Peninsular Malaysia, thus playing a key role in the country’s energy industry transition and strengthening efforts to ensure a more stable and reliable electricity supply for the people and the nation. — Bernama