Native Rights

Why do very few people pick up native rights issues?

Maybe it's not profitable, or because it may be controversial, or it would not make any/ much difference?

Apart from rare people like Mark Ruffalo who produced a documentary about Lakota people, I haven't read much other celebrities picking up this cause. Either there aren't many, or not many such news have come across my feeds.

In Malaysia we have activists like Tijah Yok Chopil but have not gained traction except in some quarters (possibly because she was aligned to the Opposition perhaps?). There has been one landmark case against State Government's encroachment of native land rights. Forgive me for using a wikipedia link, the paid link via CLJ (Current Law Journal) may be accessed here. After the Sagong Tasi case, there were pockets of isolated cases here and there, at varying degrees of success. 

There are voices that argue supremacy of the Malays above and beyond natives' ("orang asal") rights. 

And there are also people who are not even from Malaysia receiving native status due to their connection, when there are SO many stateless individuals going everywhere to apply for their red or blue IC... but that is another story for another day.

I do hope that many more people will take interest in native rights. After nearly 66 years of "Merdeka" (Independence) and nearly 60 years of Malaysia's formation, the natives are still left behind in many ways, especially in education. 

Granted, they may not be money minded or as greedy as some of us (although sadly some might be, despite their core teachings) but I do think education is the gamechanger. Being in government schools and being educated beyond their jungle school (a wonderful place to learn, I must say!) will give them better opportunities to grow and belong with the rest of us Malaysians.

I tend to prefer the approach in bringing the art or lives of orang asal to the mainstream. For us to understand the richness of their culture, and be more respectful of their existence and lifestyle.