13/05/2026

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Malaysian Paper

/theSunMedia /

Practical support for growth of orang asli women vital: NGO

Call for inclusive refugee registration

Ű THE SUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“You can adjust how you teach to suit them, not the other way around.” They said some external educators may overlook students perceived as weaker academically, focusing attention instead on those considered high-performing. “The ones not given attention are often the ones who needed the most support to begin with.” They also pointed to inconsistent teacher presence in certain rural schools as a factor contributing to poor literacy outcomes. “In some rural schools, students are playing outside while teachers remain in the office. It is not because the children cannot learn but because no one has consistently shown up to give them the attention they need,” they said. – By Kirtinee Ramesh PETALING JAYA: A refugee-led organisation in Malaysia has urged authorities to ensure the country’s new refugee registration mechanism is implemented transparently, inclusively and with safeguards for vulnerable communities. The Refugee Action for Change (ReAct), representing 200 refugee community leaders, welcomed the government’s development of the Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian but stressed that refugee voices must be meaningfully consulted. Through internal consultations, ReAct found recurring concerns among community members. Many reported limited awareness of the document process, citing barriers such as language difficulties, lack of digital access, restricted mobility and socioeconomic hardship. Data privacy was another major concern, with refugees questioning how personal information would be stored and protected. Some feared registration near detention operations could deter families, particularly those with children, from coming forward. Uncertainty also remained over the legal weight of the documentation, such as whether it would provide genuine protection and serve as a sustainable long-term solution. ReAct said groups such as unregistered refugees, the elderly, persons with disabilities and those in remote areas risk exclusion due to systemic barriers. While affirming the value of structured documentation, it urged policymakers to place human dignity at the centre of implementation. It suggested providing the document information in multiple languages, boosting transparency and accountability mechanisms, involving refugee-led organisations in meaningful consultation, ensuring no vulnerable individual is excluded and fostering trust rather than fear in the registration process. ReAct concluded with a reminder to decision-makers as it said: “Nothing about refugees should be decided without refugees.”

PETALING Indigenous women cannot be expected to pursue skills training and economic mobility without basic support systems such as housing, financial aid and childcare, said SOLS Foundation managing director Danutcha Catriona Singh. She said practical support measures are critical to ensuring orang asli women are able to participate in development programmes, especially those forced to leave rural villages for urban centres such as Kuala Lumpur. “When we ask a woman to leave her village and come to Kuala Lumpur to study, we are asking her to take on significant participation costs, the bulk of which are accommodation, food and daily expenses, while also stepping away from her contribution to her family back home. “If we do not address those realities directly, we limit her ability to attend skills and work development courses such as this.” In an interview, Danutcha said the NGO provides accommodation and living allowances to prevent participants from bearing out-of pocket expenses while enabling them to continue supporting their families financially during training. However, she said childcare remains one of the biggest barriers preventing more mothers from joining the programme. o Participation costs of development programmes include accommodation, food, daily expenses, childcare, says SOLS Foundation Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com JAYA: participants of the SOLS Asli Women Academy programme say are often overlooked in more conventional leadership systems shaped by hierarchy and formal authority. Participants Nora, Nuraini and Natasha said leadership within many orang asli villages has traditionally been grounded in lived experience, familiarity and accountability. In written comments to theSun , they said leadership structures have become more formalised over time but many orang asli communities still prioritise consultative decision making in which collective voices remain central. “For orang asli communities,

Through the Asli Centre model, graduates are expected to return as educators and community leaders capable of bringing opportunities directly back to their villages. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/THESUN

off future opportunities before they have had a chance to explore them.” The participants said such attitudes can surface within schools, where orang asli girls are sometimes questioned about marriage plans instead of being encouraged to pursue higher education or careers. “That sends a message on the limits a girl can imagine her future to be.” They also stressed the importance of training and placing educators from within orang asli communities, saying local teachers are often better positioned to understand students’ learning needs and lived realities. “When you are an educator from the community, you understand the people you are teaching. You know how they think and what kind of encouragement they need. women from fully participating in leadership and economic sectors. They added that indigenous women must be recognised not only as caregivers, but also as leaders, educators and contributors to the economy. Among the recommendations raised were greater recognition of orang asli women as community and economic leaders, stronger pathways into institutions serving indigenous communities, and increased placement of orang asli t eachers in primary as well as secondary schools. “Representation matters. When children see teachers and leaders from their own communities, it helps them imagine different possibilities for their own futures.” They noted that stronger representation would help ensure policies and programmes are shaped by those who understand the lived realities faced by orang asli communities.

The participants also described situations in which women were sidelined from important discussions and expected to remain confined to domestic responsibilities. “We have sat in discussions in which women were asked to manage the food but not join the meeting.” They said limited awareness of legal protections remains another major concern, with many women unaware of their rights in cases involving abuse, divorce or personal decision-making. Early marriage was also identified as a continuing issue affecting girls’ education, health and long-term opportunities. “When girls marry young, it closes beginning employment opportunities as community centre managers before expanding into entrepreneurship and leadership roles within orang asli c ommunities. “For many of our participants, this is the first time anyone has invested in them in this way.” Danutcha said empowering indigenous women could create ripple effects across communities and future generations. “When a woman returns to her village more confident and more capable, the people around her take notice. “Children, especially daughters, begin to see different possibilities for their own lives.” Through the Asli Centre model, graduates are expected to return as educators and community leaders capable of bringing opportunities directly back to their villages. Sawa participants Nora, Nuraini and Natasha said policy gaps continue to hinder orang asli with

They said many rural and orang asli women continue to face deeply entrenched barriers that limit access to education, employment and leadership opportunities. They noted that among the most pressing challenges is the lack of stable and meaningful employment opportunities near villages, even for women who have completed their studies. They added that social expectations surrounding marriage and motherhood often further restrict women’s choices. “Whether a woman can pursue further training or work outside the home often depends greatly on her “For mothers who want to join, being separated from children is one of the hardest things to ask. “If we could offer housing that accommodates children as well, we would open the programme to even more women who deserve to be here,” she said, adding that the organisation hopes to address the issue in the future. The support is part of the SOLS Asli Women Academy (Sawa), launched in January this year to train orang asli women as professional educators and community leaders. Danutcha emphasised that the programme goes beyond technical training by focusing on confidence-building and long-term economic independence. “For participants, we expect them to leave with a strong set of skills, a sense of their own worth and the confidence to make decisions for themselves and their families.” She said the initiative aims to create sustainable income pathways,

‘Indigenous leadership based on trust, consensus, strong community ties’ PETALING JAYA: Orang asli leadership is built on trust, consensus and deep community ties, values that leadership is not only about position. It is also about trust, consensus and collective wellbeing.” husband. Many feel that motherhood is their only recognised role.”