Orang Asli amidst ethnic diversity : a case study in aboriginal political development in West Malaysia

This dissertation is about the Orang Asli, an indigenous minority people inhabiting West Malaysia. The study of three time periods (pre-colonial, colonial, and post-independence) reveals the Orang Asli have developed a common pan-Orang Asli identity and political consciousness. This research contributes to applied political science by identifying a polity among the Orang Asli, and thus refutes earlier scholarly work portraying the Orang Asli as a fragmented people void of political import. Specifically two issues — land and Islam — are conclusively identified as the premier motivational forces behind Orang Asli ethnogenesis and politization. Land suitable to their quasi nomadic lifestyle has gradually become scarce and state sponsored Islam is increasingly omnipresent. Thus, Orang Asli concerns about their land rights and religious freedom have over time compelled them to negotiate their precarious existence with the Malaysian state and its pre-colonial predecessors. The identification of this ongoing relationship substantiates my research hypothesis which holds that the Orang Asli are a coherent political force in Malaysia.