COMMENT | The future of Orang Asal A - COMMENT | As it is, the Orang Asal (otherwise also known popularly or colloquially as the Orang Asli) are the aboriginal peoples of Malaysia – whose native pedigree stretches back thousands of years – and by default bestowed with the special position as enshrined in Article 153 of our Federal Constitution. However, like their counterparts in many parts of the world, they remain marginalised and left behind in national development. Article 8 of the Federal Constitution on equality before the law further provides under sub-article 5 that this doesn’t invalidate or prohibit (c) “any provision for the protection, well-being or advancement of the aboriginal peoples of the Malay Peninsula (including the reservation of land) or the reservation to aborigines of a reasonable proportion of suitable positions in the public service …”