Helicopters ferry orang asli kids to school

GUA MUSANG: About 500 orang asli students living in the interior areas here had to be ferried by Fire and Rescue Department helicopters to school today.
Orang Asli Welfare Department (Jakoa) director-general Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the move was to prevent students from dropping out as a result of roads to their villages being cut off due to the recent floods.
"Students were picked up and the helicopters landed at the Civic Centre field here before they were sent by bus to live in hostels.
"The secondary schools accommodating them are SMK Bandar Chiku, Tengku Bendahara and SMK Tengku Indera Petra 2," he told reporters at Pos Balar today.
Hasnan said among the orang asli posts involved were Pos Balar, Hau, Belatim, Simpor, Tohoi, Gob, Kampung Jader and Kampung Dang Dut.
He said Jakoa is working with the Fire and Rescue Department air unit to solve the problem of orang asli students travelling to schools.
"We have to take the measure, otherwise orang asli children would be stranded at home," he said.
He said Jakoa is committed to improve the performance of orang asli children, especially at secondary level.
"We will take prompt measures to repair damaged roads so that the problem can be overcome in stages," he said. – Bernama