The Aboriginal
Factor
Since the advent of the
British in Malaya the aboriginal tribes have been the
subject of many studies by anthropologists but it was not
until Major P.D.R.Williams-Hunt published his 'An
Introduction to the Malayan Aborigines' in 1952 that a
countrywide survey ,primarily for the use of Government
administrators and the Security Forces,was available. At
the time of publication Major Williams-Hunt was Adviser
on Aborigines to the Federal Government,a post he was
appointed to in 1947.Tragically,whilst on a visit to an
aboriginal tribe in 1953,he slipped and impaled himself
on a piece of bamboo;far from medical aid and without
radio communication he died shortly thereafter.The
publication of this book had been encouraged by both
General Sir Rob M.Lockhart,Deputy Director of Operations
and General Sir Gerald Templer,High Commissioner and
Director of Operations for with the success of the Briggs
Plan(resttlement of rural farmers into fortified
villages) the MPLA were finding that supplies were
becoming increasingly difficult to obtain from urban and
rural sources and they were forced to look to the jungle
for their food,with aboriginal tribes supplying them from
their own cultivations and hunting skills. Thus the next
phase of the campaign against the MPLA was to be denying
them the help of these tribes. General Sir Gerald
Templers foreword to this book clearly details the
Governments thinking at this time.
After the death of
Major Williams-Hunt ,General Templer appointed Richard
Noone as Adviser. Richard Noone was the brother of
H.D.(Pat) Noone,an anthropologist who was employed by the
State of Perak prior to the Japanese invasion.Richard and
his brother were together at the time of the invasion but
as the Japanese swept down the Malayan Peninsular Pat
opted to retire into the jungle*,he had an aboriginal
wife,whilst Richard made his escape to Australia where he
served as Intelligence Officer to Z Experimental Station
located at Cairns,North Queesland. ZES was a unit under
the control of the Inter Allied Services Dept.and was
formed for the specific purpose of carrying out raids on
Japanese bases in S.E.Asia; their two most published
operations were 'Jaywick' and 'Rimau'. After the war
Richard Noone worked for Australian Intelligence for a
while and then moved to Malaya in early 1950 as Secretary
to the Federal Intelligence Committee and it was from
this post that Gen.Templer appointed him to head the
Dept.ofAborigines which was expanded to encompass all
aspects of Aboriginal administration throughout the
Federation.Protectors and Assistant Protectors were
appointed to all States (some States already had
Protectors with small Depts and these were incorporated
into the Federal Dept.)with aboriginal populations and
the proclamation of the Aboriginal Peoples Act,1954 gave
the Department the status of first point of reference on
all aboriginal matters.The main thrust of all this
Departmental expansion was to improve intelligence
gathering amongst the aboriginal tribes by showing that
the Authorities were interested in their welfare and
could offer them more than could the
Communists.Schools,Medical Dispensaries and Trading
Stores staffed by Dept.personnel were established at
Jungle Forts and at other population points within
aboriginal areas and sales of jungle produce were
monitored to ensure fair market prices were
paid.Aboriginals employed by the Security Forces as
guides and porters were made the subject of Director of
Operations Order No.37 which defined official rates for
pay and food rations*.As these measures
started to take effect the flow of information and tribal
co-operation increased to the point where the Dept.was
able to play a significant role in providing information
and manpower to Security Forces on jungle operations.
This role is perfectly illustrated by the following,an
operational message dated 13th.Aug.1958: From: Asst.Protector
of Aborigines,Bertam* To:
O.C.,SAS,Dabong** Seventeen men for
portering work arriving your location next train.
Unfortunately,due to short notice,only four from B.Hs'
group;accompanying F/Asst.will identify them.Two reports just to
hand,firstly ten people of B.Hs.group are living in three
shelters in a small ladang East of the Sg.Puian
approx.four miles up from Kuala Bertak and,secondly, hunting parties are
liable to be encountered in th Sg.Bertak and Ulu Puian
areas..Message Ends.
*Nothing more was
heard of Pat Noone until the 1950s when it
was discovered that he was murdered during the Japanese
invasion period by an aborigine who coveted
his-Noone's-wife.
* Bertam & Dabong,small railway halts between Kuala
Lipis,Pahang and Kuala Krai,Kelantan road heads.
* M$2.00 p.d.with rations, M$2.50 p.d.without
For photos go HERE
Since
Independence the role of the Dept.of Aboriginal Affairs(Jabatan Hal
Ewhal Orang Asli)has changed from being
an advocate for the progress and development of the
Aboriginal citizens of Malaysia to one of repression(see
Ethnocide Malaysian Style by Kirk Endicott & Robert
Knox Dentan http://www.magickriver.net and click on 'Starman"
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