KOMUNITI MAPAN: PENILAIAN TAHAP KEMAPANAN KOMUNITI ORANG ASLI TEMIAR DI NEGERI PERAK

Abstract

In the declaration of the Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro 1992, the role of indigenous people in environmental management and development for achieving sustainability was recognized because of their knowledge and traditional practice. However, the value and traditional practices of the indigenous communities today has gradually disappeared due to pressure from modernization and influence of market economy, which penetrated them. The study examine the extent to which the knowledge and practice of the Orang Asli community comply with sustainable development principles and how their knowledge and practice could be used to derive a framework for sustainable development strategies of Orang Asli community. As an introduction, this article present an alternative thought on the concept and also suggestions on the characteristics of sustainable community. This study revealed that, sustainable community should be guided by a set of system which maintains the relationship of trinity; i.e. relationship between Man and his Creator, Man and Man, and Man and Environment. Eventually, this would help to attain balanced and sustained development economically, socially, environmentally and spiritually. Another part of the study involves an in-depth case study on the selected Orang Asli Temiar settlements in the state of Perak. Based on a case study of Orang Asli Temiar communities of Kampung Perjek and Kuala Mu, the study evaluated the level of sustainability of the community's base on the indicators formulated. Forty-five (45) indicators were finalized in a comprehensive 1nanner covering economic, social and physical dimensions. These indicators were then categorized into behaviour, system and situational components. Fieldworks were conducted and the level of sustainability of each indicator was analyzed based on the information collected and index was used to measure the overall sustainability. This study shows variability of sustainability levels of each indicator. Findings from the first part of the analysis (sustainability level for each indicator) showed that only nine of the 16 behaviour indicators have achieved sustainability level. Under system category, only two out of 10 indicators achieved the level of sustainability and for indicators under state category, seven out of 19 indicators achieved the sustainability level. Meanwhile, for the index analysis (overall sustainability level of each dimension) it showed that the levels of sustainability were moderate for the social and physical/ecological indicators (42.1 % and 60.0%) and low for the economic indicators (25.0%). Based on the findings and discussions with the local community, this study suggests a framework for the sustainable development strategy which includes; (1) conserve or encourage continuation of current sustainable practices, (2) improve or change the unsustainable or low level of sustainable practices and (3) develop the potential of the area in a sustainable manner.