Slim By Election Lights Up Orang Asli Homes After 60 Years

---

SLIM POLLS | Orang Asli residents at Kampung Sungai Teras may be the first group of locals to benefit from this by-election, with electricity supply finally being installed to houses in their village on Aug 22
This power supply installation comes in advance of polling day on Aug 29. Early voting begins today, Aug 25
The village, which houses about 226 people, has been without electricity since the early 1960s, according to the village chief (Tok Batin) Kuloh Bah Rinteh (photo, above)
Asked how villagers have been charging their phones all this while, Kuloh said they relied on the generator in front of his house, which he switched on from 7pm until midnight
The 62-year old Kuloh told Malaysiakini that his late father, who was also a Tok Batin, had fought for the village to have electricity, but to no avail. The effort to obtain the utility supply was passed down to Kuloh
Two years ago, Kuloh saw the light at the end of the tunnel when Tenaga Nasional Bhd installed electricity utility poles in the village
Unfortunately, the wiring system was never connected. The project was abandoned, and the villagers were in the dark, both literally and figuratively
Knowing that the Slim by-election could help draw attention to this situation, Orang Asli activist Ramesh Arumugam Chettiar (above) brought the media to highlight the plight of the villagers after the by-election was announced
And now the issue, which had been going one for years, has been solved in less than 10 days
Kuloh said that Merdeka Day this year would be more meaningful as the village is bright with light from the bulbs. Gone are the days of oil lamps and candles
"I am very thankful because I have been applying for the electricity supply to our village for so long. I want to thank Ramesh for helping us
"The villagers are happy. We have been living in the dark for 62 years
"The kids are happy that now they can study under the light, no more relying on candles. I feel happy for them
"Now I feel we are not being abandoned," Kuloh said when met at his house
'An opportunity to get the problems solved'He added that the by-election served as an opportunity to get the problems solved and expressed his hope that the candidate who wins will take care of the Orang Asli in the constituency
"Please don't make our lives difficult. Please gazette the land (for the Orang Asli), so that the villagers can continue to stay here," the soft-spoken man said
Kuloh said TNB now plans to install street lights along a 500-metre stretch from the village to the main road, which connects them to Pekan Slim
Ramesh said he is now helping the village to gain access to a stable supply of running water
"There's a problem with the filtration system. After this, I hope (the related agency will) upgrade the filtration system," said Ramesh, who added that villagers usually resort to using river water
Scratching his hands, Kuloh added: "Sometimes, our skin feels itchy after using the water from the river."Ramesh applauded the media for highlighting the issue that has plagued the villagers here for years
"I have sent letters but failed. Because of the media, the issue was solved
"The Orang Asli villagers were abandoned," Ramesh said
The Slim by-election sees a three-cornered contest involving Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Zaidi Aziz and two independent candidates - lawyer Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi, who is backed by the Pejuang party set up by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pakatan Harapan, and former teacher S Santharasekaran
Happy villagersA villager, known as Johan, 30, was visibly elated about finally having the electricity
In the past, he would wake up in the middle of the night during the humid season and use a plastic plate to fan himself and his four children
Johan (above) told Malaysiakini he had thrown "the fan" away
"I live here with my wife, four children and a brother-in-law
"All this while, if it's hot in the middle of the night, I will use a plastic plate as a fan. We are lucky if it's a rainy day
"With electricity now, it's easy to cook at night as there's light. My children are also happy
"Now that there is light, I feel our independence day is more meaningful
"Next, I'm going to buy a television when I have money," he said
The ceiling fan was running as he spoke
An elderly woman, known as Silhat, 66 (above), told Malaysiakini that she's still afraid of pressing the switch button, out of fear of getting an electric shock
"I am happy, but I am also afraid of the shock. So I wait for my children to help me switch on the light or fan
"I am, however, okay with the generator as we have been using that in the past. It will take time for me to get used to pressing the switch button
Asim, 46 (below), said he's grateful now that his children can study with the aid of proper light
"In the past, it was difficult for my children. They were struggling to do the housework as the oil lamp was not bright enough," he said. - Mkini

---