The Orang Asli (OA) in Kampung Melai can tell when there is an impending flood. They call it “tagar” when thunder is booming and the forest floor is filled with fallen branches, twigs and leaves. When their instincts are wrong, the OA turn to local shamans or “puyang” to predict impending floods or natural disasters. […]
Period poverty refers to women and girls not having adequate access to education about menstruation and sanitary pads, clean water, pain medications, and sanitary products during their period (menstrual cycle). Despite the lack of appropriate data on period poverty in Malaysia to identify the extent of period poverty, the issue is prevalent among rural dwellers. […]
Sondang Erika, 27, is a mother of two. Together with her husband, Ayen, the couple are farmers with OA Organik in Kampung OA Melai, Pahang. Sondang worked as a small-scale rubber tapper before becoming a full-time farmer, and at one point, both husband and wife worked as security guards in an oil palm plantation. After […]
The efforts and achievements of Yayasan Kajian dan Pembangunan Masyarakat (YKPM) and the Jakun community at Kg Ulu Gumum and Kg Melai have recently received international recognition. On May 12, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bestowed YKPM the 𝙍𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙀𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 award through a virtual award-giving ceremony. “I was so […]
FLOOD RELIEF TO KAMPUNG OA TEMELONG, KARAK, PAHANG(TEMELONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ VILLAGE) 10th January 2022 The recent flood has been devastating to the OA Temuan (Temuan indigenous peoples) in Kampung Telemong (Temelong Village) near Karak, Pahang with their houses being destroyed by the unleashed forces of nature. With rapidly rising waters in the early morning hours, […]