Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) presented a paper on the proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134) at the 82nd National Land Council (MTN) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, stated that the proposed amendments cover administration, education, and land affairs.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the amendments aim to ensure more orderly and inclusive land governance, aligning with the MADANI Government’s aspiration to protect the interests of the Orang Asli community while respecting the role and authority of state governments. Ahmad Zahid expressed confidence that with the cooperation of all parties, policies that are fair and transparent, focusing on the welfare of the people, will continue to be strengthened.

He emphasized that the MTN serves as a crucial platform to enhance policy coordination between the federal and state governments regarding land matters nationwide. Ahmad Zahid had previously mentioned in July that the drafting of the amendments, which address the issue of land ownership for the Orang Asli community, was nearing completion. The Aboriginal Peoples Act, initially enacted in 1954, was last amended in 1967 and revised in 1974.