Abstract:
Belum-Temenggor tropical rainforest is located in the district of Upper Perak, state of Perak, Peninsular
Malaysia. Covering an area of 300,000 hectars which represent 5 % of forest and 50% of known
species in the world and is home for 80% of primates in Peninsular Malaysia. This complex is a
combination of four forest reserves namely Royal Belum Forest Reserve, Temenggor Forest Reserve,
Gerik Forest Reserve and Banding Forest Reserve in which only Royal Belum State Park has been fully
protected since 2007 [Figure 1]. The Belum-Temenggor rainforest also consists of man made lake
known as Tasek Temenggor which is the result from hydroelectric dam project which covers an area of
22,672 acres and is home to at least 42 species of freshwater fish. This tropical rainforest is rich in its
diversity of flora and fauna which become the source of subsistence, medicines, domestic and
economic to semi-nomadic Jahai hunters and gatherers who live in this area. These negrito
subgroupings adapt in the rainforest environment with majority of them built their huts at the lake
shores and rivers. The lake and rivers act as a medium of communication and offers source of daily
necessities with its abundance of fresh water fish. Apart from that, the sustainable adaptation was also
contributed by the element of belief in spirits that inhabited the forest, these peoples ask protection from
the spirits through rituals. The Jahai believed that this area is their country and they were the custody of
the rainforest. Therefore it is their responsibility to protect and sustain the surrounding area. Based on
ethnographic survey conducted in Jahai settlements in Belum-Temenggor rainforest, this paper aims to
discuss shortly on how these communities survived and sustained their living pattern within the
environment.
