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©The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission)
by Debra Chong

TEMERLOH, May 16 — The High Court in this little nook of Pahang does not usually see much action. A policeman on duty said there may be one or two civil cases a day, at most. It is a tranquil place, he smiled.

Yesterday, a vanload of Orang Asli broke that monotony. The group of Jahut Christians from Kampung Pasu, led by village elder Wet bin Ket and his son Yaman bin Wet, are seeking a judicial review of the decision by the local district and land office, which has refused to supply their village church with water and electricity for the past 2 years.

The lack of such basic amenities has caused the villagers much hardship in pursuing their worship. But their suffering had begun much earlier than that.

The villagers, who embraced Christianity in 2000, belong to the Evangelical Church of Borneo denomination. In 2003, they sought the assistance of their then pastor, Ajos Larau, to build their own church in the village. With permission from Wet, they were able to build their church in his backyard.

Unfortunately, just as the building was nearing completion, it was demolished by the local authorities who ruled that the Orang Asli were erecting an illegal structure as they had not obtained proper approval from the authorities.

For 3 years, the Orang Asli fought to bring their case to the attention of the federal government, In 2006, they won RM35,000 as compensation to rebuild their church, which they also use as a tuition centre for their school-going children, and as a nursery for the younger ones.

Such activities have come to a halt, however, because of the lack of utilities. Without electricity, they are unable to operate the overhead projectors, switch on the microphone or even turn on the existing ceiling fans to cool down the interior and keep out the mosquitoes.

Without water, their live-in pastor Jamin Singa has to return to commuting from his home in Mentakab, a town more than an hour's drive away.

Annou Xavier, one of the lawyers representing the Orang Asli, said that the reasons given by the local authorities are that the building was erected on land not gazetted and that the building was erected as a place of worship without the approval of the local district and land office. The Orang Asli are, however, contesting that decision based on their native rights.

Yesterday, Justice Abdul Halim Aman was supposed to have delivered his decision. Instead of an open court hearing, however, the lawyers argued their cases in the judge's chambers. The judge’s ruling, which had been put off twice before, was postponed a third time, this time to July 9.

In the meantime, the Jahut Christians continue to light kerosene lamps and draw water from a nearby outhouse whenever they have their evening service.

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