D26 : Orang Asli

The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsula Malaysia. They are catergorised into three large groups under Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay, and are further divided into 18 sub-ethnic groups. In the early 1950’s, the British saw the importance of utilising the Orang Asli in winning the war against the communist insurgency. The Orang Asli were introduced to basic health facilities, education and consumer items. This period also saw the first important attempt at legislation to protect the Orang Asli through the Aboriginal Peoples Ordinance in 1954. This law was considered a milestone for it indicated that the government had finally admitted its responsibility to the Orang Asli. While this Act recognises some rights of the Orang Asli such as for the establishment of Orang Asli Areas and Reserves, it also grants states the authority to order any Orang Asli community to leave and stay out of an area. States wanting to re-acquire land can also revoke the land’s Orang Asli status, leaving the community with no other recourse but to move elsewhere. The Act also accords the Director-General of the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) the final say in all matters concerning the administration of the Orang Asli. This has given rise to a situation where the Orang Asli have very little or no say in decisions made by JAKOA on their behalf.

Prayer Suggestions: • Pray for a major revision of the Aboriginal Peoples Ordinance to give the Orang Asli rights over their land and to represent and determine their affairs. • Pray for their status and rights to be included into the Federal Constitution. • Pray for the younger generation of Orang Asli to excel in their studies. • Pray for more Orang Asli professionals to rise and return to help their own communities.