Damansara Perdana, upcoming luxurious area in Petaling Jaya with mixed developments of residential and commercial.
It was used to be a forest around the hill and Orang Asal has been lived there for a very long time.
Then in the late 90s, a property developer change it 180 degree, to a modern and developed area with condominiums, luxury houses, and commercial area.
Due to vast development, the Orang Asal were forced to move out and got compensated by the developer with modern bungalow houses each family. There're total of 147 houses and a flat for the Orang Asal. At the mean time, the developer also build school, multipurpose hall, surau, and a museum for the people. However, only few left stay in that area, where other houses were rented out to foreigners who migrate here to work.
The issue is, it was a total change, facelift of Damansara Perdana and the Orang Asal people who used to live there, how do they overcome and live with the changes like in a split second.
The Orang Asal settlement in Damansara Perdana is called Desa Temuan, where mostly are Temuan tribe. I managed to interview some of the residents on their lifestyle and their opinion when they lived before and after the new developments.
I went to the Tok Batin's house at 1st, this is my 3rd time went to his house but failed meeting him. however i manage to had a short interview a lady, who is the daughter of the Tok Batin outside her house. They've been staying there since 2002, after the Desa Temuan being officiated by then Culture, Arts and Tourism Misnister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir. She only gave moderate answers, as for her, she's ok with the changes. Everything was OK. *ZZzzzzzZZZ =.=* I can't go in and see around the house, because Tok Batin wasn't around. Then I asked her who else I can interview around the area. Then 2 ladies riding motorcycle passed by and I ask for an interview with them, and go to their house instead.
She lead me to her house, just another road paralleled to the main road. She has been staying there since she was born, almost 30 years at that area. She mentioned she didn't get used to it in the beginning and still prefer to stay in a 'kampung' house. Why? because the current house is so hot. it has no natural ventilation. According to her, her 'kampung' house has the opening above the windows and doors for the hot air to be released out, but the current house has no such opening. that is why the current brick house is hot and no air flow. Now, it is so hot, that she had to put air cond in her room. She prefer her kampung house because, there's fertile soil nearby the house to plant vegetables and a river nearby for fresh water fish. Even though the house now has its own land surrounding the house, but it's not good enough for planting vegetables. It's not fertile and it's dry, those plants she tried planted end up dead. Poor thing. Orang Asli lived on their own farming. Now her family not to say doing that well, her husband works as a driver and she's a housewife. To cope with the living condition of the house, they need to buy vegetables instead of self planted, paying more expensive bills compared to before and land tax. She mentioned that some of the Orang Asli around still does farming, it's on the hill behind the settlement.
I asked how do they know how this house works, like which space or room's functions. She said that the developer actually came out with a small scaled model and explained to them how it works. They've been living very thrifty and only buy and use according to the needs. Then, I ask to enter her house to look and take picture. I only took pics of the common area, as the private area, I respect it. The house has 4 rooms, and only 4 people living in the house. Master bedroom for her and her husband, then 2nd room for her brother in law and 3rd room for her only child, her daughter. The 4th room is left empty as a guest room, for her relatives to stay when they come over. The living room is huge, expanded to the dining area, it is huge for family of 4. they made 2 tv spaces and a dining area behind the 2nd tv area. the exterior land around the house, are empty one side, while the other planted some vegetables and other plants. There's a small wooden hut built by her husband, for them to hangout at night when the weather is really hot. It's been over 11 years staying in the modern world, they still can't leave their old lifestyle behind.
After that, I left and drive around the neighborhood. A road, perpendicular to the previous road, there're kids around cycling and playing around on the road outside their house. I was so worried for them, so dangerous to play on the road, then I saw their mothers sitting outside the house chit chatting and eating. So I approach them and ask for an interview. This time, another lady, in her late 30s with her cousin and sister, sitting outside, at the door. Normal questions like, how long has they been staying in the area, how was it felt after shifting into the new house. She said they've been staying there before that area being developed and mostly was because of the bills to cope. During they're stay in kampung pays less than staying in the current house. In the beginning they quite like the current house, but because of paying the extra bills and have low income. Then they now prefer staying in the kampung house because they can plant their own vegetables, get their own food resources nearby jungle and river. Moreover, there're more family members and relatives staying together, which make them feel more secure. Nowadays, in Desa Temuan neighborhood, the safety and sense of belonging has deteriorated for the past few years. Kids still playing around outside the house on the road, but it's dangerous due to cars passing by, and other mixing with other foreigners.
About their house, furniture were bought even before they moved into their new brick house. She also mentioned that staying in the current house is actually hotter and even fans on, still feeling hot. They can't afford to buy air cond and pay for the bills. I did asked if there's a chance to stay in a kampung house again, will she be willing to stay? She said, she don't mind, but it's the kids will be not get used to, been staying in brick house then stay in a kampung house, its just like a reversal situation like how they stayed in kampung and then moved into a brick house. Then I asked if another choice, new development, given a house half wooden and half brick house, will she be able to accept it? She answered without hesitation, she prefer like that and there's more land space to do farming and build houses nearby for their children to stay nearby. At least for an expanding family can stay nearby. Now, it's hard for them to stay close to family after they become adult and after marriage.
The current house is actually the same size as the previous visit to another house, and its much neater and clean. 4 rooms, but cater family members of 11 people in the house. Behind her house, there's a small up slope which separates them to TNB station at the back, she made full use of the land by planting fruits and vegetables. At least a little free food source.
Due to time constraint, I left after taking few pics of the compound and her house and she left for work.
Well, as we can see, some of the Orang Asal residents of Desa Temuan find it hard to cope with bills after staying in the brick house. They still prefer to stay in their old 'kampung' houses and do farming nearby.
