GUA MUSANG: The Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) is preparing for a massive gotong-royong cleanup next Thursday of Kampung Kuala Koh, the Orang Asli settlement of the Batek community where 15 inhabitants have died of measles since early May.
Jakoa Kelantan/Terengganu director Hashim Alang Abdul Hamid said today many quarters including several NGOs have expressed their interest to cooperate to make the cleanup a success.
A large number of the residents are still in quarantine at the temporary settlement centres at the Gua Musang Ethnobotany National Service Training Camp after having been treated in hospital for suspected measles, he said.
Right now, only a handful of residents remaining at the village can help in the cleanup, he said when contacted.
“We want all the residents to be comfortable and safe once they return to their homes,” he said.
Since early May, 15 Orang Asli of the Batek community from Kampung Kuala Koh have died from suspected measles and 112 others were treated for the same disease at the Gua Musang and Kuala Krai hospitals.
The village was declared a Red Zone area on June 12. The order was withdrawn at 8 am on July 8 after the Health Ministry confirmed that the village is free of the measles outbreak.
Hashim Alang said the department will also repair the damaged houses of the residents and initiate economic activities to provide a source of income for the villagers. — Bernama
