Advent Outreach of Joy: Standing in Solidarity with the Orang Asli

Advent is a sacred season of preparation for the coming of the Saviour into the world. On the Third Week of Advent—Gaudete Sunday—when the Universal Church lights the Candle of Joy, Caritas Church of the Holy Name of Mary, Permatang Tinggi, carried this joy beyond the parish walls through an outreach to the Orang Asli community in Kampar. Gifts generously donated by parishioners were brought as tangible expressions of the joy of the Lord.

This outreach was not merely another seasonal charity effort. It was a concrete act of solidarity rooted in discernment and action. After conducting a needs assessment at Kampung Batu Berangkai, the parish Caritas team unanimously decided to support the approximately 700 villagers living there.

In the First Week of Advent, the working team launched a parish-wide donation drive. An awareness video was played after every Holy Mass, inviting parishioners to participate. The video drew inspiration from the rejection of Mary and Joseph by the innkeepers because of their poverty, encouraging the faithful to console the Infant Jesus by offering gifts to the least of His brothers and sisters. This became the spiritual foundation of the programme.

The response from the parish was deeply encouraging. In less than three weeks, parishioners donated 2 wheelchairs, 39 sets of school uniforms, and essential items for 100 families. While the donations may seem modest, they carried with them the love we have for Jesus and our sincere desire to share His joy with our Orang Asli brothers and sisters.

The outreach took place during the Third Week of Advent. Together with Caritas Church of Sacred Heart, Kampar, various ministry leaders and parishioners, we journeyed to Kampung Batu Berangkai. Upon our arrival, Tok Batin En. Yusri warmly welcomed us and arranged a traditional dance—tarian sewang—performed by the village children. We then shared carols and enjoyed a meal together, strengthening bonds of friendship and mutual respect.

History and Challenges Faced by the Orang Asli in Kampung Batu Berangai

Tok Batin En. Yusri shared the history and current challenges of his community. The main Orang Asli group in Kampung Batu Berangkai is the Semai people. Today, their descendants form a vibrant and diverse community due to intermarriages with other Orang Asli groups such as the Temiar, Jakun, Temuan, and Semelai. Some members also have Malay, Chinese, Indian, and even African ancestry. Within the community, there is religious diversity: some are Muslims, some Christians, while the majority continue to practise their ancestral beliefs.

Historically, the Semai people were primarily farmers who cultivated paddy in the highlands, with the forest serving as their main source of livelihood. With modernisation and growing environmental concerns, particularly the risk of forest fires, government regulations have restricted the cultivation of hill paddy by the Orang Asli. As a result, many now work in the public and private sectors, while a smaller number continue in agriculture and traditional indigenous handicrafts.

As the youngest Tok Batin among the Orang Asli, En. Yusri has been entrusted with the leadership of the entire village. Unlike many remote settlements, Kampung Batu Berangkai is located within a town, allowing easier access to education, employment, and healthcare. He expressed hope that more young people would complete tertiary education and return to serve their community. He also envisions empowering the sick and women through skills training to help them become more self-reliant.

One of his most pressing responsibilities is the defence of their ancestral land. Many Orang Asli territories are being encroached upon by irresponsible private sectors, pushing already vulnerable communities further to the margins. Tok Batin En. Yusri has pledged to stand firm in protecting their homeland for future generations.

A Church that goes out to the peripheries

The Orang Asli are among the most marginalized communities in Malaysia. The forced appropriation of their ancestral lands, restrictions on traditional forest farming, and inadequate infrastructure in some villages have pushed many into poverty and heightened their vulnerability to the climate crisis, as they often lack the resources and skills needed to adapt and recover. When forests are cleared for development, fragile ecosystems are disrupted: trees that once regulated river systems and prevented flooding lose their protective function, leading to rising water levels that threaten and destroy Orang Asli homes and livelihoods.

Through this outreach, Caritas did not place itself as the protagonist—the Orang Asli are. As a Church, we recognise our calling to stand in solidarity with them, to walk alongside them as friends, and to support them in safeguarding their dignity, rights, and homeland. God sent Jesus into the world to save the people, heal the sick, and rescue the oppressed. Caritas Church of the Holy Name of Mary, Permatang Tinggi, continues His mission by being a prophetic voice—serving the poor and proclaiming justice through both actions and words.

In Caritas, we seek to understand the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who loves the poor so deeply that He calls the least among them His own brothers and sisters. May the poverty and rejection experienced by our Saviour draw us closer to the poor and marginalised, and may God, through the light of His Eternal Word, lead the Church to encounter the King—who was born in a manger, in the wilderness of the world, wrapped in humble cloth and held in the hands of Mary—the image of the poor whom Jesus intents to save through you and me. We invite all to consider serving in Parish Caritas, where we encounter Jesus in the poor and bring the light we receive from the Gospel and Eucharist to the peripheries.

Testimonies from the parishioners

“All participants blended seamlessly with the Orang Asli—singing, dancing, laughing, and sharing many beautiful moments together. It was a meaningful activity that fostered love and unity between the parishioners and the Orang Asli community.” — Madam Rita Catherine