Parti Orang Asli Malaysia makes electoral debut in Endau

JOHOR BAHRU: Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli) will make its electoral debut after fielding a candidate for the Endau seat in the Johor state election.

Its candidate, Jati Awang, was confirmed as eligible after nominations closed today, marking the party’s first participation in an election.

The Endau seat, with 28,767 registered voters, will see a four-cornered fight involving Jati, Barisan Nasional candidate Alwiyah Talib, Pakatan Harapan candidate Saiful Nizam Samat and Perikatan Nasional’s Hasnul Hakimi Hussien.

Jati, 52, an Orang Asli from Endau, said the party’s participation aims to elevate the community’s voice, particularly in state leadership.

“We want the Orang Asli community to have its own representative who can voice its issues and needs more effectively,” he said after nominations at the Endau multipurpose hall in Mersing.

Asli’s debut marks its first official election outing, after plans to contest the 2024 Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election fell through when the party withdrew before nomination day because of technical issues.

The Election Commission has fixed July 11 for polling, with early voting set for July 7.