1. Malaysian Rainforests and
Indigenous Peoples
(or Dr. McG’s Malaysian Vacations)
Dr. Mark A. McGinley
The Honors College and Department of
Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University

3. Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia

16. Dipterocarps

17. Dipterocarps
• Dipterocarps are plants that are members of the
Family Diptocarpaceae, a family containing 17
genera and over 500 species.
• The name dipterocarp comes from Greek (di =
two, pteron = wing and karpos = fruit) and refers
to the two-winged fruit produced by these trees.

18. Dipterocarps
• Dipterocarps dominate
forests in Borneo, Sumatra,
Java, the Malaysian
Peninsula, and wet regions
of the Philippines.
• Generally, dipterocarps are
tall trees that produce
straight smooth trunks.
Some dipterocarps may
grow up to 50 meters tall.
Normally, dipterocarp
trunks do not branch until
they reach the canopy.

31. “Night Safari” in Oil Palm Plantation

35. Orang Asli
• Orang Asli (lit. "original people", "natural
people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay), is a
generic Malaysian term used officially for non-
Malays indigenous to Peninsular Malaysia.
• Officially, there are 18 Orang Asli tribes, in
three main groups according to their different
languages and customs:
Wikipedia- Orang Asli

36. Orang Asli
• In 2000, the Orang Asli comprise only 0.5% of the
total population in Malaysia. Their population is
approximately 148,000.
• The poverty rate among Orang Asli is 76.9%.
– 35.2% of the population as being "hardcore poor".
• The majority of Orang Asli live in rural areas.
• In 1991, the literacy rate for the Orang Asli was 43%
compared to the national rate of 86%.
• They have an average life expectancy of 53 years. A
high infant mortality rate is also evident with 51.7
deaths per 1000 births

37. Orang Asli
• Orang Asli are traditionally animists, where
they believe in the presence of spirits in
various objects.
• However, in the 21st century, many of them
have embraced monotheistic religions such
as Islam and Christianity

38. Orang Asli
• The government agency entrusted to oversee
the affairs of the Orang Asli is the Jabatan Hal
Ehwal Orang Asli (Department of Orang Asli
Affairs) (JHEOA).
– objectives are to eradicate poverty among the
Orang Asli, improving their health, promoting
education, and improving their general livelihood.

39. Orang Asli
• The Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 provides for
the setting up and establishment of the Orang
Asli Reserve Land.
• However, the Act also includes the power
accorded to the Director-General of the JHEOA
to order Orang Asli out of such reserved land
at its discretion, and award compensation to
affected people, also at its discretion.

40. Orang Asli
• The Orang Asli are theoretically classified
as Bumiputras,] a status signifying indigenity
to Malaysia which
– certain social, economic, and political rights,
along with the Malays and the natives
of Sabah and Sarawak.
– However, this status is not mentioned in the
constitution.

41. Orang Asli
• The former Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said that Orang Asli were
not entitled more rights than Malays even though
they were natives to the land
– He compared the Orang Asli in Malaysia to Native
Americans in the US, Maoris in New Zealand, and
Aboriginals in Australia.
• He was criticized by spokespeople and advocates
for the Orang Asli who said that the Orang Asli
desired to be recognized as the natives of
Malaysia and that his statement would expose
their land to businessmen and loggers.

42. Typical Orang Asli Housing

43. Orang Asli Village in Taman Negara

49. Making Fire