GOMBAK HOSPITAL, THE ORANG ASLI HOSPITAL

Abstract

Gombak Hospital is a paradox for the Malaysian government. As the only government-run hospital for the Orang Asli, the indigenous minority of Peninsular Malaysia, this discrete medical service seems to contradict the government's policy of Orang Asli assimilation. This article explores the development of the Hospital and the Medical Division of the Department of Orang Asli Affairs, from its inception during the Emergency (1948–1960) when it formed part of the British hearts and minds campaign, to today in the climate of indigenous assertion. The historical detail is drawn from newly sourced primary material, particularly the unpublished diaries of Dr J. Malcolm Bolton. The medical service for the indigenous peoples of the peninsula is compared to the services in Sabah and Sarawak, where treatment of indigenous communities is incorporated into the wider rural healthcare services. The paradox of assimilation versus indigenous assertion dominates the provision of healthcare at Gombak Hospital and reflects the place of Orang Asli within contemporary Malaysia.

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