(Oct 29): Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang today invited the Orang Asli to join DAP, saying that the party always kept in mind the need to present multiracial and multireligious candidates.

Lim, who is also DAP parliamentary leader, said this during the forum titled Malaysia Under the Shadow of Racial Politics: Where to Now? in Kuala Lumpur.

“Orang Asli should come to a political party and play a role, not just in society.

“If they come to DAP, we welcome them,” he said.

Lim was answering a question by a representative from Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia who said Orang Asli's voices were not being heard due to the lack of a political party representing them.

"The doors are open to all Malaysians regardless whoever it is who believe in the course of justice, freedom and good governance, we always welcome everyone," he said at the 5th National Conference on Non-Discrimination 'Malaysia on the Path to Non-Discrimination Saying No to Racial Politics' in Bangsar today.

He also dismissed the claims of tokenism practised by the party, saying that all leaders in the party played important roles at all levels.

"I want to stress that we don't believe in tokenism in any community, we want every Malaysians to pull their weight," he said.

The Orang Asli are considered a marginalised community in the country with the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), which has a brief to improve the community’s lot, being frequently criticised for not standing up for the community. – The Malaysian Insider