Main content

Malaysia鈥檚 Runaway Children

Five school children from the Orang Asli community starve to death in the Malaysian jungle. Now their deaths have provoked a debate about education and what it means to be Malay.

The deaths of five school children in Malaysia have provoked an anguished debate about education and what it means to be Malay. The children ran away from their boarding school in Kelantan State and died of starvation in the jungle. They were afraid of harsh punishment from their teachers. Two girls survived eating grass and wild fruits but were found emaciated and close to death 47 days later. The children came from the Orang Asli community, one of the poorest and most marginalised in the country. Lucy Ash travels to the remote region where the children came from and talks to their bereaved parents. Many families are now refusing to send their children to school and campaigners accuse the government of not doing enough to protect rights of the Orang Asli community. Jane Beresford producing.

(Image: Nora and Ayel Ajid, parents of nine-year-old Ika who died)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 28 Dec 2015 06:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Christmas Eve 2015 00:32GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2015 03:32GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2015 05:32GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2015 07:32GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2015 18:32GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2015 19:32GMT
  • Mon 28 Dec 2015 02:06GMT
  • Mon 28 Dec 2015 06:06GMT

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes