Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim suggested that the Temuan Orang Asli community take the matter of their land to court. This piece of advise, however, was interpreted as a challenge to the Orang Asli by a Malay language daily.<br /><br />The Temuan Orang Asli of Mukim Tanjung 12, have heeded his so-called challenge. They have come out in force, in an attempt to settle this long standing issue.<br /><br />This is a legal battle for their cultural survival and they don't plan to back down, even if it means taking the matter to the International Court of Justice.<br /><br />Yesterday they filed a writ of summons against the Selangor State Government, Kuala Langat land office and Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd. This is the first step.<br /><br />The Temuan is seeking a declaration that the area known as Mukim Tanjung 12, encompassing almost eighteen thousand acres belongs to the Orang Asli kaum Temuan.<br /><br />They are also seeking an injunction to stop mining activities and transactions in the Mukim.<br /><br />Temuan community leaders who were present at the Shah Alam court for the filing are hopeful that the rights to their ancestral land will be settled once and for all.<br /><br />Kumpulan semesta sdn bhd, a Selangor state government-owned company, is behind the mining activities in the Mukim. The company is alleged to have been involved in illegal sand mining. A worker was also accused of soliciting kickbacks from a sand mining contractor.<br /><br />Yet, when probed for corruption by the Selangor Competency Accountability and Transparency committee, the company was given the all clear.<br /><br />Battling against such a large giant, it is difficult to even predict what the fate of the Temuan might be.
