As a Malaysian, I feel grateful for living in this country, which has no major disasters, unlike many other countries around the world. Blessed with tropical rainforests, beautiful beaches, a resilient economy, and relative low cost of living, Malaysia has always been promoted as a paradise, and indeed this is still largely true.
However, for a small minority, the indigenous peoples (Orang Asli) of Malaysia, life cannot be said to be great, especially if you happen to rely on the forest for your living and sustenance. Logging and destruction of their ancestral lands, and being marginalized and discriminated against, are sadly very common occurrences in Malaysia unfortunately. And for the case for the Bateq tribes living at the fringes of north Taman Negara (the National Park) in Kelantan, at Kuala Koh, it has turned very tragic. Continue Reading →