Gombak - The Government has allocated RM4mil to the Orang Asli Museum in Gombak to boost its arts, culture and heritage, said Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Dr Rais Yatim.
The funds would be used to increase the collections of artefacts and research books, as well as come up with a cultural festival for the orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia and the natives in East Malaysia, he said.
"We hope that this would attract tourists and increase the understanding of the civilisation of the orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia; they make up 150,000 people," he said.
The Ministry planned to hold the festival mid-year in honour of their culture, he said adding that each year, 25,000 local and foreign tourists visited the museum in Gombak.
"We also plan to work together with the Health Ministry to study the orang asli and the natives` medicinal approach," he said.
In India, pharmaceutical expertise is used to enhance traditional treatment knowledge while in Myanmar, the people set aside an 80ha garden for medicinal plant studies, he said.
Rais on Wednesday presented RM80,000 to several orang asli villagers in Negri Sembilan, Pulau Carrey and Gombak to enhance their cultural heritage at the Orang Asli Museum in Gombak.
Rais added that the Government had allocated RM6mil for the orang asli on Carey Island to create the infrastructure and promote the art of woodcarving and other handicrafts.
Source: thestar.com.my (23 Februari 2008)
