COVID-19: ORANG ASLI

IS AFFECTED THE MOST

As Malaysia announced the movement control order (MCO) on 18

March 2020, most of Orang Asli were in fear and they fled to the
nearby forest and blocking their village with logs to avoid close
contacts with outsiders. Orang Asli feared the covid-19 will be
infecting any of their community members.

The extension MCO has affected them badly in the need of food security. Most of Orang Asli
are daily-wage workers, some are farmers, rubber tappers, and the rest are older people,
housewives, and their children. As the MCO started, they lost their job and income sources.
This has made Orang Asli struggle to put food on the table.

Luk, from Jakun tribe in Rompin said he no longer can sell lemongrass. Before MCO, he able to
get average RM80 to RM300 per month by selling lemongrass. Today, he spent every single
day at home, desperately waiting for the food supply.
 Team Up A Task Force
Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), in collaboration with other NGOs, Raleigh Kuala
Lumpur and Impiana Malaysia have launched The Covid-19 OA Fund (TaC-OA). We targeted at
raising fund to help more than 30,000 Orang Asli in Malaysia. Although the fund was just
launched on 30th March 2020, it managed to raise RM30, 000 within three days. In the following
three weeks, the fund increased to more than RM100, 000. We were honored and deeply
moved by the generosity and empathy of the Malaysians who donate the TaC-OA fund.

We are committed to being transparent in distributing the donations to Orang Asli community.
With the fund raised, COAC was able to supply food supply to a total of 29,874 Orang Asli
communities. Food supply is basic food need such as rice, powder milk, can food, and others.
Below is the official statement for total disbursement of funds to Orang Asli communities.
COAC founder, Dr. Colin Nicholas says, “Orang Asli were unable to travel due to ongoing MCO.
Besides that, due to low accessibility, it is hard for them to reach grocery stores. Their village
usually located deep in the jungle, away from outsiders. You need 4x4 wheels to get there.
Can you imagine how Orang Asli walking with their barefoot to the nearest town to get the food
supplies? “It really breaks my heart” he added.

Established in 1989, COAC mission is always to help in the development of Orang Asli
communities. COAC functions as a center to encourage Orang Asli on self-development and
fight for their rights. COAC also supports anyone who wants to join their cause. For more
updates, click here https://www.raleighinternational.org.my/news/news-and-events

The Challenging During MCO

The most challenging task during the MCO was the travelling. There were about 5,901 Orang
Asli families across Malaysia, and COAC was outnumbered of volunteer and manpower. But
with decades of experience helping Orang Asli, they are capable of solving the problem.
Dr.Collin says the formula is simple. In each Orang Asli community, we will identify one local
coordinator who we can rely on. We trust on the local coordinator to handle the donation
equally. Orang Asli prefer to be helped in the forms of cash, therefore we will make a cash
transfer to his account. Once the cash transferred to the local coordinator, he and his team will
purchase the food needed, deliver and distribute to each Orang Asli family and individuals.
COAC’s system is proven that no one is left behind because the distribution was made by
Orang Asli to their own people. This method is more effective because the local coordinator
knows how many families in certain kampung, and definitely he knows the road better.

Local coordinator and team purchased food supplies to be given to the Orang Asli community
 The existing data of Orang Asli in Malaysia is not accurate although it was constantly updated
by the authorities. These problem is faced by all parties, be it government, NGOs and others.
To address this, COAC partnership with others to share information, knowledge and shared
resource network. The platform data called Covid-19 Collective for Orang Asli was developed
in collaboration with other NGO which is Extraordinary People Impacting Community (EPIC).
We really hopes that the collaboration will help gather information into a detailed system and
updated database on Orang Asli community.

The Back Bone of COAC

COAC’s backbone are none others than the volunteer team and all the generous donors and
supporters. All the aid projects will not succeed without their help. No matter how small or huge
the donation or helps, their unconditionally love and support literally inspired us to continue the
charity works. Our associates which is all the NGOs are the most loyal friends who stands firm
throughout our charity journey, who lend their ear and shoulder to cry when needed. There has
been a lot of cooperation between us in terms of helping in provide relief fund campaign,
volunteer assistance, and moral support and so on.

Most of you didn’t aware that the our real heroes behind are the wonder women from
Orang Asli community. They are four young women Orang Asli consist of Lili, Faezza, Shaniera
and Shalin who are devoted themselves more heartily in so many ways to the good of their
fellows. They helped the communication between Orang Asli community and task force team
easier. During MCO, they worked day and night from COAC office in Subang Jaya, making and
receiving endless call to gather information in terms of help that needed by Orang Asli.

Volunteer consisting of yound and educated women from Orang Asli community
 Hope for the Future

We has never expected to receive such strong support from Malaysian during the
MCO and the TaC- OA campaign. Although the number of Covid- 19 is declining
and almost recovering, the initiative by us and our partners needs to be continued.
The support needs to be continued even if the MCO is lifted because Orang Asli
lives will not recover promptly. We will plan to build more sustainable lives for
their future. B u t w e w a n t y o u keep in mind that the survival of Orang Asli is
not in the government or NGO’ s responsibility alone. It requires all participation
from all of us; the public, volunteers, donor and followers.

You can help us make a different

by donating and sharing about our work to all your fellow
friends.

Click to DONATE Click to SHARE

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References:

i) (n.d.). Retrieved from http://coac.org.my

ii) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/coac_malaysia

iii) (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.raleighinternational.org.my/news/news-and-events

iv) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sedunia.me/oa-collective