Penans
The Penans live in Sarawak. They make up just one of its 26 ethnic group. In
total there are 10,000 Penans spread over 87 villages. The State Government of
Sarawak has spent more than RM 15 million over the past few years to improve the
livelihood of the Penans through short-term and long-term development programmes.
The amount is substantial considering the small population of the community.
Professionals, including anthropologists and sociologists, in consultation
with the Penans have drawn up these programmes to ensure that they are not left
behind as the country move ahead towards achieving a newly industrialised
country status in the year 2020. Short term programmes drawn up are intended to
provide the Penans with basic need such as medicine, clothing's, building
materials and agriculture tools while long-term programmes are drawn up to bring
the community to the mainstream of society.
Recently, the Sarawak Government reported that the state Government's effort
in getting the Penan community to lead a settled life and interact with other
races in the country have met with much success. The Penans are now much aware
of the goings-on surrounding them, parents are more willing to send their
children to schools, clinics are well patronised and the infant mortality rate
has dropped significantly.
Many Penans have adapted well to modern living and quite a number of them now
work in government sector, as government servants, tourist guides and truck
drivers. The government is currently working out new strategies to further
develop the Penans into a thriving community.
Of the entire Penan population, about 400 of them are nomadic. 65,700
hectares of primary forests have been specially set aside for them so that they
can continue to follow their nomadic lifestyles. This includes the Mulu National
park (52,900 ha), Sungai Magoh (5,600 ha), Ulu Sungai Tutoh (2,200 ha) and
Sungai Adang (5,000 ha).
For Penans who have settled in longhouses, but wish to pursue their
traditions, the government has set aside Melana Protected Forest (22,000 ha) and
an area in Ulu Seridan (1,400 ha). The places listed are not the only places
where the Penans can practice their traditional way of life for they could also
do so in the existing forest areas where they live as provided by Section 65 of
the State Forest ordinance.
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MTC’s
