Research on multi-ethnic tourism community

Keng delivering his talk

An engaging talk on the tourism-based symbiosis of three different ethnic groups in Taman Negara Pahang was held in UTAR Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC) on 27 April 2018. Delivering the talk was a PhD candidate from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Frankie Keng Hang Fan.

Attending the talk were TCLC Chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun, Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) Dean Dr David Tneh Cheng Eng, FCI Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Loo Hong Chuang, lecturers and staff.

With the title “Batek, Malays and Chinese: does tourism work with multi-ethnic community?”, Frankie explored the intriguing interaction and collaboration between Malays, Chinese and indigenous Batek in the national park.

“In the park, the Chinese functions as tourism agent who employs the Malay and Batek. The Malay provides service as tour guides for the tourists while the Batek offers their cultural heritage as an attraction. The commissions are then distributed equally among the three groups. The Batek also generates extra income by selling handmade gifts,” said Keng.

According to Keng, the collaborations between the ethnic groups were notably self-sustainable. This was because the groups negotiate and adjust their relationships when they face conflict among them.

“Conflicts may not be bad. We face conflicts every day. In the end, we change our mindset to adapt and grow mature,” explained Frankie.

Kampung Dedari and Kampung Tesik are two Batek villages. These two villages are included in the Orang Asli Village Tour, where visitors can experience local activities such as blowpipe hunting and craft demonstration.

UTAR staff during the talk

Batek is one of the Orang Asli tribes that live in East Malaysia. They are a semi-nomadic tribe that practices blowpipe hunting and animalism belief. With only around 1,900 population, they make up 0.006 percent of the total Malaysia population.

Most often, Orang Asli community is always related to being marginalized. In this case, however, Keng pointed out that the Batek does not feel marginalised. “There are some who left the community to undergo formal education. However, by the end of it, they would go back to live with their respective families. Despite the stigma, the Batek is open to outside influence and flexibility. This can be observed in their acceptance in commercial food, gadgets such as smartphones and tablets, and substitution of plant material with canvas for their huts.”

The national park saw 80,000 visitors visiting the park from the year 2010. The tourism sector has bloomed ever since. Besides the indigenous attraction, visitors also come for the eco-tourism that is offered in the area including canopy walk, jungle trekking and night jungle walk.

Being an international researcher sets Frankie with a limit in his study, especially in communication. However, the problem was minimised by mastering the basic Malay language that he used to communicate with the Malays and Batek.

In gathering data, he explained that he used the ethnographic method which is more dynamic and natural in obtaining data rather than artificial settings. Therefore, he immersed himself in the culture as an active participant and recorded extensive field notes throughout his stay with the locals. Commenting on suggestions to improve the community, Keng believes the system practised by the locals there is healthy and mutually benefits everyone in it, “Just let it be.”

From left: Dr Chin and Keng