SHAH ALAM, July 9 — Around 5,000 visitors are set to attend the Orang Asli Cultural Festival in conjunction with the Selangor-level 2025 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples celebration on August 9.
State executive councillor for human resources and poverty eradication V. Papparaidu said the festival, to be held at Kampung Orang Asli Kelinsing in Sepang, aims to recognise and celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions of the Orang Asli community.
He said the event reflects the state government’s commitment to empowering the Orang Asli in cultural, educational, economic and social aspects.
“One of the main objectives of the festival is to promote the identity and cultural heritage of various Orang Asli ethnic groups such as the Temuan, Mah Meri and Semai, while positioning Orang Asli villages as cultural and eco-tourism destinations in Selangor.
“It also aims to raise public awareness of the rights, history and challenges faced by the Orang Asli community, and to provide platforms for empowerment in the fields of arts, handicrafts, traditional cuisine and entrepreneurship,” he said at a press conference at the Wisma DNS lobby here today.
Papparaidu said statistics show there are over 20,000 Orang Asli members in Selangor, in 74 villages across seven districts, each with unique cultural practices such as Sewang and Jo’oh dances, Mah Meri wood carvings, and ancestral rituals rich in traditional values.
“The Orang Asli community in Selangor has also achieved various successes in education, the arts and advocacy, including international recognition for the Mah Meri community of Pulau Carey,” he added.
— Bernama
