State Secretary Slams Pahang Jakoa Director Over Seditious Remarks

---

 
Pahang state secretary Zulkifli Yaacob said remarks made by the state Jakoa director created a negative impression about the state government. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Pahang’s state secretary has slammed the head of the Orang Asli development department’s (Jakoa) Pahang office for allegedly making inaccurate and seditious remarks regarding a replanting project for the community.
Zulkifli Yaacob said remarks made by Pahang Jakoa director Johari Alwi, which went viral on TikTok, created a negative impression about the state government, Sinar Harian reported.
He also claimed Johari was in breach of civil service regulations and the Official Secrets Act.
The issue stems from a TikTok post where Johari claimed that several Orang Asli villagers in Pahang were barred from entering a plantation to collect oil palm.
Johari had criticised the allegedly weak implementation of the commercial replanting project for the Orang Asli, after it was taken over by the Pahang Orang Asli Corporation (Oraco).
The project was started by Felcra Bhd and the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) to help develop land in Orang Asli settlements.
Zulkifli said the Pahang government only took over the project via Oraco after being informed by Risda in a letter on Feb 8 that it would cease management of the projects in the state.
He said the Pahang executive council agreed on Feb 21 to take over management of these projects – 59 in total – through Oraco by obtaining the tapping rights.

The approval of the tapping rights was to prevent the misappropriation of state produce and to look after the welfare of the Orang Asli in the areas involved, he said, adding that the projects involved state-owned land.
The state secretary also said the Jakoa director-general and Johari were appointed to Oraco’s board of directors in November 2021, and were involved in its decisions.
“Therefore, Jakoa was clearly in the know about the appointment of Oraco as the agency tasked with managing the Orang Asli commercial replanting projects.

Besides that, several engagements, briefings and visits to the 59 project sites were attended by officers from Pahang Jakoa, he added. - FMT

---