The Process of Economic Change of Indigenous People: Orang Kuala’s Community Empowerment in Rengit, Johor

摘要

Poverty and dependence among indigenous people is an important issue that needs to be abolished or reduced in the socio-economic development of indigenous people. Indigenous people are known as people who practice conventional lifestyles such as subsistence activities and are dependenton the government for several forms of assistance. However, there are people who have managed to improve their living conditions through entrepreneurial activities, namely the Orang Kuala people in Rengit, Johor, Malaysia. The Orang Kuala have shown proper community development that can beemulated by other indigenous groups. They have sought to make their business known to the outside community, and they have been recognized by the government as a community of entrepreneurship-based businesses. The purpose of this paper as to explore the Orang Asli community ability to improvetheir socio-economic development. The design of this study was a case study facilitated through the use of semi-structured interviews involving 15 participants who are engaged in the selling of used goods. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically to determine the development processthat these people have undergone. This study suggested that there are three phases in the change process of the Orang Kuala’s entrepreneurial development. Findings of this research will be beneficial to other indigenous groups as it will reveal the entrepreneurial development strategiesand methods that can be applied to other groups.