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Indigenous Women's Leadership in Malaysia




Temuan community from 3 villages (Kg. Tekir, Kg. Tering and Gebok)

Land is integral to the identity of the Orang Asli community in Peninsular Malaysia. The increase in land grabs at the expense of the Orang Asli rights has culminated in the community resisting through court cases, blockades and demonstrations. This video clearly describes the predicament of Orang Asli and land ownership as elaborated by Tijah Yak Chopil of Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM). 

Empower's experience of conducting leadership programs for Orang Asli women has been very insightful. The initial engagement started in 2013, when a fledgling focus group discussion was conduct among 10 women leaders from Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Pahang, Perak and Johor. To date, Empower has managed to train 50 women with leadership potential from various villages in Peninsular Malaysia. 

Land Mapping Workshop in partnership with JOAS in June 2016

Thus far the module for leadership training of Orang Asli women has been shaped through the close partnership developed with the women. Many different approaches were employed to engage the women in order for knowledge to be shared mutually. Methods such as story telling employing powerful narratives of past women leaders in their traditions were collected. Our favourite is a story relayed by Tijah Yak Chopil from her grandmother. 'Ken Tatau', possibly the first woman 'halaq' (shaman) among the Semai community was introduced in our training. 

Fatimah of Kg. Mengkapoh, Pahang


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