ORANG ASLI

SENOI

The Senoi - largest Orang Asli group,

• About 54 per cent of the Orang Asli population.

• Live mainly on both slopes of the Titiwangsa

Range in Perak, Kelantan and Pahang (Semai

and Temiar people), in central Pahang (Jah Hut

and Chewong people), in south-central Pahang

(Semoq Beri people) and in coastal Selangor

The Negrito

Comprise the Kensiu people (northeast Kedah),

Kintak people (Kedah-Perak border), Jahai

people (northeast Perak and West Kelantan),

Lanoh people (North-central Perak), Mendriq

people (Southeast Kelantan) and Batek people

(Northeast Pahang and South Kelantan),

• Smallest category of the Orang Asli, populationwise.

• A little over 3 percent of the total Orang Asli

population and they are believed to be the the

oldest indigenous group in Malay Peninsula

The Aboriginal (Proto) Malays

• Aboriginal Malays live mainly in the southern

half of the Peninsula; in Selangor and Negeri

Sembilan (Temuan people), central Pahang

and east Negeri Sembilan (Semelai people),

south Pahang and north Johor (Jakun

people), east Johor (Orang Kanaq) and west

and central coasts of Johor

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Before war word 2

• The Orang Asli played an important role in trade and

governance in the region, and alliances with the Orang

Asli were much sought after by the Malay settlers

source of forest products such as rattan, resin, gutta
percha and sandalwood for international trade

During this time period up through the early 20th century,
the Malays depended on the Orang Asli as their primary

In some parts of the region, the Orang Asli had important leadership
roles and at times even oversaw Malay subjects

The various group

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• Proto-Malays – close contact with the

Malays for hundreds of years

• There is evidence to show that many

modern Malays have some Proto-Malay

blood

• Many Proto-Malays have been assimilated

into the Malay communities – many have

converted into Islam

• The Senoi and the Negrito (jungle-dwelling),
however, were more isolated from the outside ww2.

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During Japanese Occupation in Malaya

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Friendly contacts made by many Chinese with the Orang

Asli before the war became invaluable during the

Occupation

• The jungle peoples also became targets for Communist

propaganda, which was particularly effective coming from

men they trusted and whom they had known for years.

Members of the MPAJA carefully nurtured friendships with
the Orang Asli and they even went as far as to protect the jungle people from attack bandits and Japanese troops.

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The emergeny period

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These crucial twelve years saw the challenge and defeat of the Communist

forces which had rearmed and reorganised following their temporary

demobilisation after the capitulation of Japan.

• The MCP faced the struggle with confidence based upon the support which

they had organised, during the Occupation, among rural Chinese

communities.

The Government responded to this state of affairs by resettling 500,000 (mainly) Chinese "squatters" under the provisions of the Briggs Plan, and by the end of 1953

• The government's interest in the Orang Asli was seen as a
critical matter of national security.

For the first time, the Orang Asli were the main interest of
the British administration.

• From 1947 to 1949, under the British Military
Administration, thewelfare of the Orang Asli came under
the jurisdiction of the Department of Social Welfare.

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Post Emergency period

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• Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli was formed

• As far as Orang Asli affairs are concerned the sum of M$

1,500,000 was allocated under the Second Five Year

Plan, for projects intended to benefit the OA

• In 1961, the newly independent government, through the

Ministry of Interior, published a "Statement of policy

regarding the administration of aborigine people of the

federation of Malaya".

• This document reaffirms the new government's intention

to continue to protect and recognise Orang Asli rights.

The document stipulated "the aborigine being one of the ethnic
minorities of the Federation must be allowed on an equal footing from the rights and opportunities which the law grants to other sections of the community"