More than 500 Orang Asli enrolled in public, private unis this year, says Zahid

The Star

15-07-2025

ROTORUA: More than 500 Orang Asli students have enrolled in local private and public universities to further their studies this year, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ( pic ).
The Deputy Prime Minister said this was among the achievements of the current administration to uplift the socioeconomic status of the nation's Orang Asli community.
"Although the Orang Asli are a minority group, the Madani government will give attention and focus to ensure that they are not sidelined or left behind," he told reporters after attending the Maori Business Roundtable talks with Maori community leaders here on Tuesday (July 15).
He said that the number of Orang Asli students enrolling in the local universities has been increasing since 2023.
"The 300 enrollment target set in 2023 was exceeded and the target was exceeded again last year when we increased the number to 400.
"This year's target of 500 enrollment was also exceeded," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Zahid announced that he will chair a special meeting soon with the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) to set up an Orang Asli Business Council.
He said that the council will help expose the community to various viable business fields.
He added that a micro credit scheme would also be set up under Amanah Ikthiar Malaysia to provide small loans to Orang Asli women and mothers to generate more income for their families.
"We will also set up a TVET institution specifically for the Orang Asli. This will be done although there are already TVET institutions in the country," he added.
On using tourism to boost the community's status, Dr Ahmad Zahid said that the Melaka Orang Asli affairs committee chairman had agreed to turn the existing Orang Asli village in Gapam Baru in Selandar, Alor Gajah into an international tourist attraction.
He said that further talks will be held to finetune the details of the proposal including providing allocations to promote the village concerned as an attraction.
Ahmad Zahid said that Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor, who heads the Orang Asli Development Committee, will oversee the implementation of the proposals which were announced.
Ramli is the nation's first Orang Asli to be elected as an MP and he was subsequently appointed as Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker.
There are slightly more than 200,000 Orang Asli in Peninsula Malaysia, accounting for about 0.8% of the nation's population.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, visited the Whakarewa Living Maori Village in an effort to learn how the indigenous community here manage their cultural and economic affairs.
The Deputy Prime Minister is on a five-day working visit, beginning July 14, aimed at boosting bilateral ties and trade with New Zealand.