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"