Orang Asli urged to venture into tourism sector in Melaka

ALOR GAJAH,  Sept  7 -- The Orang Asli community in Melaka was today told to carry out eco-tourism and agro-tourism activities to improve their livelihood.

Chief Minister Adly Zahari said various job opportunities could be provided through the two sectors to generate income for the locals, such as handicraft, forest-based downstream products and entrepreneurship especially for Orang Asli youths.

“The state government always strives to improve the living standard of the Orang Asli community in Melaka by generating fixed and stable income, and we see these two sectors as having the potential as Melaka is a tourism state.

“We will provide training and guidance to develop eco-tourism and agro-tourism activities for the Orang Asli community through programmes designed to empower Orang Asli entrepreneurs to make them more competitive and sustainable," he told reporters after opening the Melaka Orang Asli Day celebration here today.

Also present were State Women, Welfare and Rural Development Committee chairman Ginie Lim Siew Lin and Orang Asli Development Department director-general Prof Dr Juli Edo.

Adly said the state government also emphasised other aspects in improving the quality of life of the Orang Asli community in the state, especially their welfare by improving the infrastructure in their villages.

He said the state government had so far gazetted two Orang Asli villages in Melaka and they are Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Seraya, Selandar and Kampung Orang Asli Lubuk Bandung, Simpang Bekoh, both in Jasin district.

Overall, there are 14 Orang Asli villages in Melaka with 2,008 people from the Temuan tribe, he said, adding that the state government was working to gazette nine more Orang Asli villages.

-- BERNAMA