About 2,000 Orang Asli in Runchang are set to benefit from the state government’s plan to turn the South-East Pahang Peat Swamp Forest (SEPPSF) into a leading eco-tourism destination where they would be able to venture into various activities that could supplement their income.

Apart from working as nature guides and boatmen, the Orang Asli from the Jakun community could supplement their income by selling handicrafts and food to visitors. 

At present, most of the 400 Orang Asli families rely on forest produce and earn about RM500 monthly. 
  Tourism Pahang general manager Ishak Mokhtar said the agency would ensure that the Orang Asli would enjoy the benefits as the eco-tourism initiative was a community-based project.

“We will help train them with help from other agencies, including the East Coast Economic Region Development Council. Among others, they could become excellent nature guides and boatmen as they have the knowledge of the peat swamp forest and its rich flora and fauna,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

 “The relevant agencies could also provide handicraft-making courses for them as many tourists would be interested in such products as souvenirs when visiting SEPPSF.”

It was reported that some of the Orang Asli were using illegal fishing methods, hunting protected animals and harvesting ornamental and medicinal plants in SEPPSF to supplement their meagre income.

However, many were able to improve their living standards when the government implemented a resettlement scheme in the village and introduced various economic activities.

On Aug 4, 2009, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the Agropolitan project in the village where 72 Orang Asli were involved in the rearing of the Dorper sheep.

Najib, who is Pekan member of parliament, was quoted as saying that the project would help increase the income of the Orang Asli participants to RM5,000 a month in the next few years.

Ishak said Tourism Pahang had sent a team, comprising tourism officers and tour agents, to find the best way to promote SEPPSF without jeopardising the natural habitat or various flora and fauna.

About 200,000ha of peat swamp forests are available in Pahang, with 160,000ha within the SEPPSF complex.

Studies by various parties show that SEPPSF could be mainland Asia’s largest and least disturbed peat swamp forest that remains as a single nearly contiguous complex.