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Introduction
Orang Asli (indigenous community) are unique communities in terms of their cultures, lifestyles, languages, beliefs and heritage. The sub-ethnic groups are diverse
in Malaysia and are economically marginalised, living in extreme poverty in our
biodiversity-rich country. They are traditionally and culturally forest-dependent
people who move in a nomadic and semi-nomadic manner acquiring various
resources in the tropical forests for subsistence and livelihood in a sustainable manner.
About 200,000 years ago, their African ancestors migrated eastward from the
Arabian Peninsula to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The earliest
Orang Asli communities occupied the Malay Peninsula about 50,000 years ago,
before the establishment of the Malay Kingdom. There are three main groups of
Orang Asli consisting the Senoi, Negrito and Proto-Malay. A total of 18 sub-ethnic
groups, each group represent 6 Orang Asli sub-ethnic communities. They can be
found along the coasts, within urban areas and in the alluvial plains. All Orang Asli
sub-ethnic groups share a common behaviour toward the tropical rainforest where
they engage in at least hunting, collecting and gathering forest resources.
Today, most Orang Asli communities have been resettled in villages outside forests. However, a large number of them still practise their unique lifestyle inherited
from their ancestors. In terms of the law governing their rights as original people of
the land, several legislation affecting the use of natural resources by Orang Asli in
Peninsular were implemented comprises of Aboriginal Peoples Act (1954), Wildlife
Conservation Act (2010), National Forestry Act (1984), National Fisheries Act
(1985), National Land Code (1965) and National Parks Act (1980).
Orang Asli communities utilise the tropical rainforest as their main home.
Interestingly, this community has great traditional knowledge in many aspects, such
as the use of plants and animals for medicinal purposes, which make them a great
source of information. Due to their immense knowledge of the flora and fauna
within the forest, they have been regarded as forest people. Orang Asli use a variety
of natural resources in their daily life. For instance, several animal species are
hunted by them as their main source of protein, and various types of plants species
are used as medicine to treat illnesses. Nevertheless, the Orang Asli’s ritualistic
Introduction
Orang Asli (indigenous community) are unique communities in terms of their cultures, lifestyles, languages, beliefs and heritage. The sub-ethnic groups are diverse
in Malaysia and are economically marginalised, living in extreme poverty in our
biodiversity-rich country. They are traditionally and culturally forest-dependent
people who move in a nomadic and semi-nomadic manner acquiring various
resources in the tropical forests for subsistence and livelihood in a sustainable manner.
About 200,000 years ago, their African ancestors migrated eastward from the
Arabian Peninsula to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The earliest
Orang Asli communities occupied the Malay Peninsula about 50,000 years ago,
before the establishment of the Malay Kingdom. There are three main groups of
Orang Asli consisting the Senoi, Negrito and Proto-Malay. A total of 18 sub-ethnic
groups, each group represent 6 Orang Asli sub-ethnic communities. They can be
found along the coasts, within urban areas and in the alluvial plains. All Orang Asli
sub-ethnic groups share a common behaviour toward the tropical rainforest where
they engage in at least hunting, collecting and gathering forest resources.
Today, most Orang Asli communities have been resettled in villages outside forests. However, a large number of them still practise their unique lifestyle inherited
from their ancestors. In terms of the law governing their rights as original people of
the land, several legislation affecting the use of natural resources by Orang Asli in
Peninsular were implemented comprises of Aboriginal Peoples Act (1954), Wildlife
Conservation Act (2010), National Forestry Act (1984), National Fisheries Act
(1985), National Land Code (1965) and National Parks Act (1980).
Orang Asli communities utilise the tropical rainforest as their main home.
Interestingly, this community has great traditional knowledge in many aspects, such
as the use of plants and animals for medicinal purposes, which make them a great
source of information. Due to their immense knowledge of the flora and fauna
within the forest, they have been regarded as forest people. Orang Asli use a variety
of natural resources in their daily life. For instance, several animal species are
hunted by them as their main source of protein, and various types of plants species
are used as medicine to treat illnesses. Nevertheless, the Orang Asli’s ritualistic