Telecentre Programme for Orang Asli (TPOA)
Telecentre Programme for Orang Asli (TPOA) West Malaysia is a community-university based initiative in partnership with the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) is committed to develop community telecentre as a platform to enhance quality of life through mobilizing community, building capacities, identifying programmatic gaps, and impacting social policy. At the same time this community-based programmes is an R & D proposal for researchers from different disciplines and faculties at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak to explore Needs Analysis and Asset Base Community Development (ABCD) approaches in implementing ICT-driven community development programmes amongst Orang Asli in West Malaysia.
TPOA was built from the Needs Analysis in Developing Telecentre among Orang Asli West Malaysia initiative, which was conducted within a one-year period of February 2011 till February 2012. The main goal of Needs Analysis was to conduct preliminary assessment of actual Information Communication Technology (ICT) needs and uses in the communities to be served by these facilities and to provide training to all stakeholders (specifically community mobilisers attached to government and non-governmental agencies) on how to carry out community engagement activities when setting up telecentres for community development.

Project Details


- Project Title: Implementation of Telecenters for Orang Asli Programme
- Project Code: UHSB/B-AM2012/75
- Year: 2013-2017
- Funder: Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA), Kementerian Luar Bandar dan Wilayah (KKLW), Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Prime Minister's Department Malaysia
The Objectives
The TPOA programme sought to fulfill several objectives
Facilitate Communication
Provide Access to Information
Provide Education through ICT
Provide Training for Local Capacity Building
Create Resource Centres for New "Knowledge" and Skills
Provide Health Related Information to the Villagers
Drive Rural Development through the Telecentres as Rural Transformation Centres
The Locations
Four Orang Asli settlements were selected to participate as respondents for the Needs Analysis
The Six Community Development Programmes
TPOA adopted six Community Development Programmes rooted from the Needs Analysis. Each programme was divided among UNIMAS researchers according to the four telecntre sites, and they were given the responsibility to design community development programmes for each site as well as develop local content relevant to the respective communities involved.
Training
Education
Indigenous Knowledge
Health
Tourism
Agribusiness
Project Partners

Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli or known as JAKOA, is the Malaysian government agency entrusted to oversee the affairs of the Orang Asli. This body is under the Malaysian Ministry of Rural Development, and was first set up in 1954.
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The RIDA is an organization established in 1951 with the general objective of providing comfort and elevating the socio-economic status of the rural population with the initial improvement of the infrastructure development and the development of the rural industry.
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The Economic Planning Unit is a major government agency responsible for preparing a national development plan. Established in 1961, it grew from the Economic Secretariat of the Economic Committee of the Malaysian Federal Executive Council.
Go to WebsiteMeet the Team
A.P. Dr Poline Bala
Project Leader
Mr Justin Malik
Project Manager
Four project site leaders were appointed to manage each research site in order to oversee the progress of each site.
Dr Wong Swee Kiong
Pos Sinderut Site Leader
Dr John Phoa Chui Leong
Pos Lenjang Site Leader
Mr Christopher a/l Perumal
Pos Balar Site Leader
Dr Nwanesi Peter Karubi
Pos Gob Site Leader
Prof. Ir. Dr Al-Khalid Haji Othman
A.P. Dr Hushairi Haji Zen
A.P. Dr Wan Azlan Wan Zainal Abidin
Ir. Dr Mohd. Daniel bin Ibrahim
Dr Ngu Sze Song
En. Mohd Farid Atan
En. Azfar Satari bin Abdullah
Dr Lau Sei Ping
A.P. Dr Tan Chong Eng
Ms Wong Siew Mooi
Training
Dr Nwanesi Peter Karubi
Pos Gob Site Leader
Ms Siti Fateha bt. Dolhadi
Mdm. Nurul Huda bt. Marwan
Education
Dr Sharifah Sophia bt. Wan Ahmad
Mr. Bemen Wong Win Keong
Dr Parveen Kaur a/p Sarjeet Singh
Dr Zamri b. Hj Hassan
Agro-business
Ms Kiky Kirina Hj Abdillah
Dr Goy Siew Ching
Dr Wong Swee Kiong
Pos Sinderut Site Leader
Ms Siti Khatijah bt. Zamhari
Mr Christopher a/l Perumal
Pos Balar Site Leader
Indigenous Knowledge
Ms Dayang Hajyarati bt. Awang Kassim
A.P. Dr Poline Bala
Project Leader
Mr Jamali b. Bujang Sanawi
Tourism
Mdm. Tracy Peter Samat
A.P. Dr Ahmad Nizar b. Yakup
Dr John Phoa Chui Leong
Pos Lenjang Site Leader