Persatuan Sahabat Kaum Semai Kuala Lumpur Dan Selangor (PERKAS)

Just 16 km in Gombak from the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's modern capital lies an enclave of the country's Orang Asli (local tribe), constitutionally the original settlers of the country. Despite massive government assistance in all fields so that they can at least be on par with the rest of the country's ethnic races , they remain the 'jungle people' at heart.

The house of the Gombak village headman

His son at the balcony

The back portion of the house with piped water from a nearby stream

The wild orchid nursery which he cultivated. When it blooms together, it's massively beautiful

His daughters back from preschool classes

Durian. The most famous fruit in Malaysia, and perhaps in S.E. Asia. Durian trees surrounded his house.and you will be served this if it happens to be in season.

A baby monkey. The Orang Asli can keep any wild pet they like without having to obtain a licence - by virtue of its privilege in Malaysia.

The traditional bamboo-and-wooden jungle house of the Tok Batin (tribal headman) is not what you would expect in modern Kuala Lumpur, though most of them has been offered modern concrete houses with electricity and piped water. However, the headman says it is home, and he is comfortable with it and the secondary jungle surrounding his house - at least for the tribe in Gombak. While he is currently building another house - a concrete one about 50 meters away - this one will always be his home.

What a year! This year must certainly be the year of community services at RPS Pos Betau. It's great to see the Semai being recognised more and more as part of our Malaysian family. More and more people - individuals, associations, clubs, students - are stepping forward to engage them with various activities, especially community services.

The most prominent of the group must be the clubs from UiTM Shah Alam. They came 3 times (January, June, November) to do community services at 2 different villages in Pos Betau. There are 18 villages in Pos Betau. There were transported by 4WD deep into the jungle, spent the night with the community, cooked for them, feed them, had telematches, painted the surau, and distributed food hampers to the Semai families. And some days were really trying when it rained. But the students did their best in great style. Bravo guys!

Even PLKN students made an ad hoc stop to join the Semai kids to have fun at the Betau river.

We made sure visitors were well feed...

UiTM students painting the Dewan Sri Sewang

Lunch at the verandah of the basecamp

The Semai kids had a great time with UiTM students

The Semai community came out in full force to participate in the telematches organised by UiTM students.

Food hampers were distributed via lorry to the villages

The views in the jungle were simply stunning

Distributing food hampers to the Semai folks

Good work UiTM!

The Tok Batin (in cap) welcoming the students to Pos Lenjang

The surau became the centre of activity in Pos Lenjang

Students helping to dish out meals to the community

A Semai family during meals served by the students

The kitchen prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner non-stop for 2 days and 1 night, manned largely by ever-helpful students.

A typical bamboo house of the Semai.

Distributing food hampers to the community

Food hampers brought smile to the Semai folks

Monetary contribution were also given thru the Tok Batin

Students were transported via 4WD

Students helping to paint the surau, built entirely by public donation.

Semai kids in a telematch

Even their parents took part.

The Semai folks were treated with Lunch, Dinner and breakfast by the students

Another group that came with a big bang (or vroom) was the Sungai Buluh Prison Bikerz Club. They came with nearly 60 bikes of all sizes setting the small village of Pos Betau abuzz with activities. They set up an exhibition booth to show the various activities of the Prison. It was historic event as it was the first time ever an exhibition of such nature was conducted in a village outside KL.

Besides the exhibition, they too came to donate food hampers and used clothes by the lorryload to the Semai community. They had a great time like most visitors at the basecamp, engaging with the Semai community, especially the children with games and joining them for a BBQ session.

If you have plans to do community services, Pos Betau with a Semai population of 3,600 in 18 villages would certainly be ideal. Do contact us anytime.

We wish you a Happy New Year!