Celebrating Malaysia: An Astute & Indulgent Forum on the Orang Asli community

Sunway’s MOHE Compulsory Subjects Department chose to honour and remember our Independence Day by conducting a Forum entitled: “Celebrating Malaysia” with its perspectives on “Orang Asli at the Crossroads.” The Forum was put together to educate urban Malaysians on the life, culture and plight of the Orang Asli community.

The Forum was honoured with the presence of 3 distinguished speakers and was moderated by Dr Colin Nicholas, founder and coordinator of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC). The first speaker was Tijah Yok Chopil, an indigenous woman of the Semai tribe who has devoted her life to empowering and uniting the once scattered Orang Asli community of Peninsular Malaysia. The second was Siti Z Kasim, a consummate human rights lawyer who is currently involved in many of the land rights issues affecting the Orang Asli community and finally, Bob Manolan, a social activist who also represents the people in land issues in the state of Pahang.

Dr Colin Nicholas, founder and coordinator of the COAC moderating the forum.