A female lecturer has become the first Orang Asli woman to earn the prestigious Merdeka Award Grant.

Masni Mat Dong, a lecturer at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) in Pahang, became the first orang Asli female to be conferred the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment.

As one of five exceptional young Malaysians to receive the award from the Sultan of Perak and Royal Patron of the Merdeka Award Trust, Sultan Nazrin Shah, at a ceremony held recently at the Petronas Twin Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Masni, was granted the award for her outstanding research proposal on “Reimagining Inclusive Development: A Spatial Justice and Multi-dimensional Poverty Perspective on the Orang Asli in Malaysia”, which aims to uplift the quality of life of the community.

In a recent interview with Entrepreneur Insight, Masni said she had always been fascinated by the richness and diversity of human cultures but was also deeply concerned about the inequalities and injustices that many communities face.

“During my academic journey, I was introduced to the fields of anthropology and sociology, which gave me a platform to understand and address these issues. My encounters with the stories and struggles of the Orang Asli were particularly impactful. Their resilience in the face of persistent marginalization and discrimination resonated with me, and I felt compelled to contribute to efforts that could alleviate their challenges.

“Consequently, I chose a career path that would allow me to delve deeper into these issues, conduct meaningful research, and hopefully contribute to creating a more just and equitable society.

“Being a proud member of the Jakun tribe, representing one of Malaysia’s 18 diverse indigenous ethnic groups, I want to shine a light on the plight of Malaysia’s Indigenous Orang Asli. My vision is of a future where the Orang Asli’s quality of life is significantly improved where they are empowered.” She said.

Growing up as an Orang Asli in a small kampung in Kuantan, Masni has firsthand experience with the oppression that have plagued her community, which, despite constituting 0.79% of the population, continues to struggle with deep-rooted spatial inequality and multidimensional poverty.

“To us, poverty is not a choice. It is a birth sentence. As many live in remote locations, they lack the necessary infrastructure to meet their daily requirements, affecting their health, education, and economic well-being.

“My goal is to highlight and tackle these issues faced by Malaysia’s Indigenous population, driving the development of effective solutions by replacing top-down strategies with participatory, inclusive methods that empower the Orang Asli and respect their cultural heritage,” said Masni.

The Merdeka Award Grant recipient stated that when she returns, she expects to be able to help policymakers, stakeholders, NGOs, and anybody else involved with Orang Asli.

“I want to ensure sustainability through continuous engagement and promotion of sustainable livelihoods based on local resources and traditional knowledge.” She said.

Masni has three options of host universities for her international attachment: Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, England; Department of Sociology, University of Essex, England; and Maori and Indigenous Studies, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

The Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment is a key programme by the Merdeka Award Trust, established by Petronas and Shell. It offers Malaysians between the ages of 22 and 35 the opportunity to engage in short-term collaborative projects and programmes with international institutions as well as to foster growth in various disciplines.

Since it was introduced in 2012, 29 grantees have been supported in more than 30 countries in the world’s top-ranked host institutions for diverse fields such as education, arts, sports, community/social work, environment, health, science and technology. They have gone on enriching learning experiences in renowned institutions in the US, England, Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia.