Orang Asli rally for homes and rights

Thousands of Orang Asli descend on the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development in Putrajaya to protest the demolition of about 20 homes in Pekan, Pahang, to make way for a plantation company.

Protesters begin gathering as early as 9am, holding banners and placards condemning the May 4 demolition.

Orang Asli from the Temiar tribe in Kelantan say their water supply has been polluted by logging activities authorised by the state government.

Protesters also hit out at the Department of Orang Asli Development or Jakoa, saying it does not care about their welfare.

Orang Asli from the Semelai tribe in Pahang question the lack of protection for their customary land rights.

A Temiar Orang Asli woman wearing traditional headgear raises her fist as the group moves towards the ministry building in Putrajaya.

Orang Asli from the Semelai tribe carry placards and pictures of their homes which were destroyed on May 4.

Protesters gather in the shade to listen to a speech.

Lawyer Sachpreetraj Singh, representing the Association for the Protection of National Heritage or Peka, speaks to protesters before the handover of a memorandum to the authorities.

Dendi Johari, chairman of the Pos Simpor Indigenous Land Action Committee in Gua Musang, Kelantan, denounces the seizure of indigenous land and the eviction of those who had lived there for generations.

Many youths join the protest organised by Peka, Orang Asli rights advocates Coalition of Orang Asli NGOs of Peninsular Malaysia, and Greenpeace Malaysia.

Protesters hold up pictures of homes belonging to Temiar Orang Asli which have been destroyed.

A protester in traditional attire rallies participants.

Another protester, Joye Isma, raises his fist in a gesture of defiance as he stands before the crowd.

About 2,000 protesters joined the rally which ended at the ministry compound.

Dendi Johari, lawyer Sachpreetraj Singh, and several others present the memorandum to a ministry representative.