Natural Resources Dependency: Are Indigenous Communities Ready to Switch to New Career?

Abstract

Indigenous community or better known as Orang Asli community in Malaysia, like most indigenous communities in other parts of the world, are found to still depend very much on natural resources as the main source for their livings. They too are the group of peoples that hardly welcome development activities that can bring harm to the environment. This study was conducted with the objective to investigate the dependency on natural resources among the Orang Asli at Sungai Sayap, Besut, Terengganu and their readiness to switch to other careers, other than farming and hunting. A total of 20 adult participants from this small Orang Asli village were involved in this study. The data for descriptive analysis (percentage) was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS Version 20). The findings of the study show that 50 percent of Orang Asli at Sungai Sayap, Terengganu still rely on the resources from the forest around them for their economic and social benefits. However, realizing the fact that natural resources are depleting, 75 percent of the respondents are ready to switch to new careers. The findings can give initial overview to the agencies that involve with indigenous people or Orang Asli, to plan and provide training programs that can be offered to indigenous people to ensure that they can adapt and stay put in their new career. The research will benefit the state government, institutions as well as indigenous community so as to promote sustainable development among marginalized community.