Royal Belum August 2007

Malaysiakini's special report for Merdeka was entitled " What 50 years of Merdeka means to you". so we decided to ask the orang asli what merdeka meant to them. So we chose Royal Belum as our destination as the aslis there were pretty much sheltered from civilization. So off we went on our journey and arrived in Banding at 5am. This is how pretty Banding is at dawn.


Malaysiakini.tv's video producer and malaysiakini.com's editor

our guide, Encik Yusof

Our boat ride took two and a half hours through pristine jungle

the interview..

the children are very shy





when we asked them what merdeka means to them, they said absolutely nothing. To them we have been independent for 2 years, that's when someone met them and asked them to register as voters.


My wardrobe will kalah to this! all the clothes were folded the same size!

we bought some tobacco as offering to the Tok Batin. I shared a rokok balut with him while we waited for the rain to stop

Tok Batin, up close



the asli boys even sang for us on their guitars. Their songs are mainly about the nature.


This is one trip that's truly unforgettable..