ISSUES ON SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OF ORANG ASLI ABORIGINES IN PAHANG, MALAYSIA

A study was carried out to characterize and evaluate the impact of cultural practices in small business development among the Orang asli aborigines in Pahang, Malaysia. The study was also carried out to evaluate the role and the effectiveness of government-organized entrepreneurship development projects in improving the living standards among these aborigines. The findings reported were obtained through combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches (interviews and questionnaires) with 100 aborigines practicing small business enterprise, ‘tok batin’ (village chiefs), and the government officers and workers of the Department of aborigines’ affairs (JHEOA). The results revealed that the Orang Asli aborigines are no longer having superstitious beliefs of pantang-larang (prohibitions) for days, places or bad signs in cultural factors of business dealings. Even though the majority of the aborigines have yet to get any assistance from the government, they are still hopeful and willing to accept change by going for training to improve their skills. All of the aborigines’ interviewed, however, do not have the entrepreneurial mindset to expand, diversify or take new opportunities. They also refused to be displaced from their present settlements. Repeated exposure to the government’s programs are required persistently and more methodically as this study found out that they are still having strong desires to improve themselves.