Seeing the world and exploring new things is what most people associate with living a good life.
For Bateq nature guide Muring Mustafa, a good life is showing tourists the beauty of Pahang’s Taman Negara National Park, which his Orang Asli community call home while making a good living doing it.
Coming from a nomadic tribe, he has roamed around the park with his family for years. And like his ancestors before him, Muring (above) knows the areas around Sungai Tahan and Sungai Tembeling - which pass through the reserve - like the back of his hand.
“For me, everything about this place is beautiful. The forest is beautiful. The river Sungai Tahan, which begins in Gunung Tahan, is beautiful.
“Sungai Tembeling is a huge river and it is beautiful even though it floods all the time. I love the sights and sounds of the forest. There is nothing here that I don’t love,” the 37-year-old told Malaysiakini.
While he has ventured out of the national park to visit Kuala Lumpur and other cities in the country, there’s no place like home for the father of five.
He has many special memories of life in Taman Negara, from fishing with his family to rivertubing in his river playground.
Supplementing other tour guides
Despite his intricate knowledge of the park and deep desire to share it with the world, Muring is not allowed to lead tour groups just yet.
This is because he does not have a tour guide licence.
Instead, he serves as a secondary guide on treks and for over 20 years has been manning boats which ferry tourists up and down Taman Negara’s rivers - taking them to spots where they can explore the forest or even go caving.
More recently, he has been bringing tourists to his village to show them the Orang Asli way of life.
“Once we get to the village, I take over (from the lead guide) by demonstrating how the blowpipe is made, how it is used, how to start a fire, and also answer questions about the community.
“I will take them to visit homes, take them on trails to see where the medicinal plants grow, as well as show them the local wildlife,” he said.
Muring has also embraced TikTok, posting videos of life in the national park regularly on the short video platform.
Traditionally, the Bateq people made a living collecting agarwood - valued for its scent and medicinal properties - and catching fish to sell to villages near their settlements.
But as Muring highlighted, tourism is now becoming a major financial contributor to his community.
“I want my people to work in tourism. We can earn much more this way.
“I want my people to get a fair share of the revenue that comes from tourism in this area,” he said.
Road to licence
Muring is working towards getting a tour guide licence so that he can lead his own tours.
He took his first step towards his goal by signing up for the Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Malaysia (EcoMy) Bateq Nature Guide Programme in 2022.
The programme involved training young people from five villages in Kuala Tahan to become certified nature guides and also promoting sustainable tourism in the area.
He was amongst the first batch of nature guides to receive this certificate under this programme in 2023.
“I took this course because I wanted to get more opportunities and join a group of like-minded people.
“I was always interested in being a tour guide and I also want to be able to provide for my family,” he said.
While pursuing his goals, he is also taking time between his busy schedule to mentor younger Orang Asli, who he said desired a better life, to become guides.
Some of his fellow villagers make and sell blowpipe replicas as well as traditionally woven baskets which are sold to tourists.
When asked what was the most important thing he hopes tourists take with them after spending time with his community, Muring said: “I want them to see and acknowledge that the Bateq people are the original inhabitants of the forest and play an important role in it.”
For those who plan to visit Taman Negara, Muring’s advice is to go with the right mindset because as beautiful as the forest is, it can be unforgiving for the unprepared.
So pack long-sleeved tops and long pants to shield you from mosquitoes and leeches, and wear comfortable but sturdy shoes for the long adventures that await you. - Mkini
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