Malaysia And Orang Asli example essay topic

Malaysia and the "Original People " Neglecting aboriginal groups has been a common theme in the past when considering the advancement of developing countries. The United States had little to no regard for the Native Americans when developing a new nation. And now as Malaysia is a quickly developing country, we can see the effects of this development on its natives. Some of the world's leading anthropologists who have been studying the "original people" of Malaysia for twenty-five years, have successfully written an in-depth explanation of the political struggle involving the Malaysian government and the Orang Asli's. The oppression of non-represented ethnicities is the main conflict in this case study of Malaysia, entitled Malaysia and the "Original People".

The authors have produced a work that not only examines the group itself but also the past, present, and future of all social classes that reside within the countries borders. The book exceeded all expectations in the quantity as well as quality of information pertaining to the Orang Asli's. Although there was little expression of the opinions of the actual tribes, the book was affected little due to the outstanding structure and content of the book. The strongest feature this book is its structure. The authors have created a book whose structure and word use makes it easy for most readers to comprehend. From the beginning the reader will learn that the whole motivation behind this book was to educate people of the affects of development on indigenous peoples around the world. .".. how development and government programs in a developing country can affect indigenous peoples".

(Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. ix) The reader should already know from the Forward and the Preface that the authors' platform leans in favor of the Orang Asli. "We hope that once fair-minded people -in Malaysia and elsewhere-know about Orang Asli and their problems, they will want to help them". (Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. x) These " introduction " sections are an example of how the superb structuring of the case study. These sections are essential in the reading and comprehending the arguments made by the authors. After a broad overview of the situation and people involved, the authors start to break down the effects of development on each specific tribe in the Orang Asli. Once again we see the strength of this book, structure, as the tribes are each given its own section.

This is very effective in helping the reader gradually understand the struggle each tribe has encountered. "To provide a baseline for measuring benefits and costs of modernization for Orang Asli... ". (Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. 23) The depth at which the tribes are examined is immaculate. The authors leave no stone unturned as they probe the history of each tribe.

Not only is this very interesting to read about, but it adds depth to the baseline of the thought that the Orang Asli were happier before modernization. The quality and quantity of information in this book is almost overbearing. There is so much information the book is hard to read without fully becoming immersed in the culture and lives of the Orang Asli. "Most houses were flimsy affairs with pole frames, split bamboo floors and walls, and thatched roof, raised a few feet above the ground on posts to keep them, cool, dry, and relatively vermin-free". (Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. 30) This book is filled with many more descriptions like this one.

Each description gives the reader a little more insight as to the life of an Orang Asli in Malaysia. This in-turn helps the reader come closer to understanding the conflict from the point of view of the minority. With the baseline established, the authors then proceed to effectively accuse the Malaysian government of stubborn, unfair, and sometimes contradictory laws by stating actual laws and quotes from leaders of tribes in the Orang Asli. "Why give us seeds and fertilizers, if you give us no right to the land we work?" (Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. 112) That quote was taken from the Sema i tribe leader, who comments on the native land that had been taken away from his people. This use of a quote allows the reader, if at all possible, to get on step closer to the Orang Asli's.

The actual voice of the members of the Orang Asli strengthens any argument made by the authors. Their voice is rarely heard and it's important that we understand what the aborigines want, other than what we "think" they want. This is another idea that the authors introduce as if to suggest to the Malaysian government a different way of handling the current problem. This and many other good suggestions and encouragements are made in the final chapter when the authors call for audible leaders from the Orang Asli so they can. ".. speak out more and inform us as to what they prefer to do... The government is willing to learn from its mistakes".

(Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. 151) The end leaves the reader with an advanced knowledge of the Malay Peninsula and its peoples, a sense of hope and possibly a desire to help the "original people" of Malaysia. Every person who indulges in Malaysia and the "Original People" will come away with a superb understanding of the development of Malaysia and its affects on its indigenous peoples. This work is the result of countless years of research and collaboration from great minds in the field of anthropology. From the history of the Malay Peninsula and its peoples, to the governments' favoritism towards the Malays in relation to the Orang Asli, the book delivers thought provoking views supported by countless facts. This is a book that should be read by anyone who is interested in aboriginal peoples or anyone who enjoys history and different cultures. This book does certainly tell. ".. more about Malaysia and Orang Asli... then they want to know".

(Dentan, Endicott, Gomes, Hooker, p. 23).