KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 24 -- A coalition of Orang Asli organisations and civil society groups has voiced concern over the government's recent engagement session on proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, saying the process did not satisfy expectations for full consultation.

In a joint statement today, the groups said the session on January 22 in Bangi - organised by the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) - was presented as a consultation but "failed to be a meaningful, transparent and rights-based engagement".

They described the event as "more of a question-and-answer session and not an engagement session", adding that the approach did not align with Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

"Decisions appear to ha...