The Orang Asli are the natural guardians of the forest. They have a beautiful culture of partnership between people and the forest, nurturing and protecting the forest, and taking from it only what they need daily. But modernisation – irresponsible logging and the imposition of the market economy – has threatened the Orang Asli’s livelihoods, pushing them further into poverty.
The Guardians, filmed by Mediacorp Channel U, Singapore in April this year, tried to capture the plights of some Orang Asli in Pahang. Three “guardians” who have been working closely with these Orang Asli are also featured; this includes the Yayasan Kajian dan Pembangunan Masyarakat (YKPM) team that facilitates the OA Organics project.
The Guardians was aired on national Singapore TV on 23 May 2019, and it can now be watched at https://www.mewatch.sg/en/series/the-guardians/ep7/798097. YKPM and the villages they work with, including the OA Organics farm is featured in the middle segment of the video from 11:42 – 31:30.
