THE ROYAL BELUM FOREST

THE SIMPLE LIFE

The Orang Asli of Royal Belum have remained largely untouched by development, writes Diana Yeoh

By nature, they are shy. They will not extend a hand nor come forward to welcome you. Yet, they will not run away from strangers like most people, the Orang Asli can be very curious about the cultures and behaviour of other communities.

In Perak's protected Royal Belum reserve, I find them charming, especially their inner qualities that shine through – pure, peaceful, innocent and friendly in their own unspoken ways.

Both sexes mingle within their own gender – men with men and women huddle close together. The women wear blouses and skirts or sarong. A few have applied lipstick and powder. I wonder where they learned to do this. Is it from the few visitors they get their cosmetic products?

Their warm nature is even more evident when we ask if we can take pictures of them. They readily sit on boulders to pose. Unlike some other Orang Asli groups elsewhere, they don't demand for money to pose for pictures.

One young lad looks like the late Michael Jackson, with his curly shoulder-length hair. Wearing an unbuttoned shirt, he gives us a star-like pose. A mother gathers all her children to pose at the door of her humble home.

Watching them with a smile is village chief Malaikat who wears only a loin cloth. This is still the clothing of choice for the men here at the Sungai Kejar Hilir Orang Asli Settlement.

Theirs is a simple life. They either tend to their crops or go fishing daily, using bamboo rafts that they skillfully row along the river.

(This article has been published in NST on September 15, 2009. This article has been selected for public viewing during the Tourism Perak Media Award 2017 night)

The writer (right) posing with the Orang Asli children together with two media members at the Sg Kejar Hilir Orang Asli Settlement