31 InSmartive Club UMPSA student volunteers celebrate Temiar Orang Asli tribe at Pos Brooke, Lojing

GUA MUSANG, 17 March 2024 - The scorching hot weather and fasting in Ramadan did not discourage 31 Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) InSmartive Club student volunteers to carry out Semaian Kasih project with Temiar Orang Asli tribe in the Pos Brooke settlement, Lojing.

The three-day programme was sponsored by Kariah Masjid Saidina Umar Al-Khattab (MSUA), Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

In addition, this programme received logistical and humanitarian assistance from three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) namely the Perak State Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA), Hospital Sungai Buloh Friendly Volunteer Association, Selangor and the Malaysian Education Volunteer Organisation (InSmartive Malaysia) as well as the cooperation of the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) and the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK).

In addition to the special focus on the distribution of food baskets and iftar meals entrusted by MSUA, this project exposed UMPSA InSmartive Club volunteers to household census fieldwork, education and health care awareness in six Orang Asli Villages (KOA), namely Brooke Lama, Mendrod, Jedip A, Jedip B, Jelgek A and Jelgek B.

According to the Project Manager, Mimi Dayana Sahar, who is also a student of the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology (FTKKP), one of the most special experiences for the UMPSA InSmartive Club volunteers is the preparation of iftar meals in the traditional way of the Temiar Orang Asli tribe, namely cooking rice, cassava and side dishes in bamboo, praying tarawih and having sahur with the local community and understanding the uniqueness of their culture to preach wisely.

Also present during the execution of this project with volunteers stationed at Surau Al-Amin, KOA Brooke Lama and Surau At-Taqwa, KOA Mendrod was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MRA, Dato’ Dr. Abdul Razak Kechik, Chairman of MRA Perak, Dasuki Wahab and Chairman of the Friendly Volunteer Association of Sungai Buloh Hospital, Datin Seri Siti Zubedah Hazabollah.

Also present were the Chairman of InSmartive Malaysia, Wan Nazrul Helmy Wan Mohd Zain who is also a Lecturer of the UMPSA Faculty of Industrial Management (FPI), President of the UMPSA InSmartive Club, Haziq Zulhilmi Mohd Rashid and Coordinator of the Semaian Kasih Project, Nor Atikah Norhisyam.

For the record, despite being under the administration of Lojing, Kelantan, Pos Brooke consists of 18 KOAs with 4,000 residents with a distance of only 20 kilometres from Cameron Highlands, Pahang and 27 kilometres from Kinta, Perak, making the two districts very significant as one of the main catalysts for local socio-economic progress.

By: Fatin Nabila Doromae, Umpsa Insmartive Club
Photos: Farah Nur Balqis Aqilah Zuraini, UMPSA Insmartive Club

Translation by: Dr.  Rozaimi  Abu  Samah, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology