As Johor grows, Seletar community holds fast to its roots

JOHOR BAHRU: Just a few kilometres from the rapidly expanding city of Iskandar Puteri, the hum of fishing-boat engines signals the start of each morning in Kampung Orang Asli Seletar Simpang Arang.

Here, members of the Seletar community continue to live by traditions shaped by the sea, even as ports, industrial zones and urban development steadily transform the landscape around them.

Known as “orang laut” or sea people, this Orang Asli group were once nomadic mariners who travelled the waters around Johor and Singapore, moving with the fishing seasons and making their homes on boats.

Today, most have settled permanently along Johor’s southern coast, with Kampung Simpang Arang remaining one of the community’s largest and most significant settlements.

Fishing remains central to life in the village, where many residents still rely on the sea for their livelihood, and where the Seletar language and maritime traditions continue to be passed down through the generations.

For tok batin (village chief) Noore Kasi, preserving that connection is about far more than maintaining an occupation.

“The sea is not just a source of income, it is our heritage. Even if our children succeed in education and their careers, I want them to continue knowing their roots and the life of the sea people,” he told Bernama.

Driven by that belief, the 59-year-old hopes Kampung Simpang Arang can be developed into a tourism destination that showcases the Seletar’s rich maritime heritage without sacrificing the community’s identity.

Visitors, he said, would have the opportunity to learn about the Seletar language, history and traditional way of life while providing villagers with additional sources of income.

“When people come here, they can experience the life of the sea people, learn the Seletar language and understand our history. This heritage must be preserved because it is part of Johor’s history,” he said.

The community’s roots in Simpang Arang date back to 1953, when families who had previously lived a nomadic existence began settling permanently in the area. Today, the village is home to more than 1,000 people from about 280 families.

Yet preserving that heritage has become increasingly challenging. Noore said more than 60% of residents still depend on marine resources, but shrinking mangrove forests – vital breeding grounds for fish, crabs and other marine life – have affected both catches and livelihoods.

He hopes future development around the village will be balanced with improvements to basic amenities, education and internet connectivity, while ensuring younger generations continue to value their cultural identity.

Mohd Shafiee Noore, state-level Tokoh Maal Hijrah award recipient for Orang Asli, shares that vision.

The 38-year-old said development should create more opportunities for young Seletar people through education and skills training while respecting the community’s unique maritime heritage.

He suggested expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes related to the maritime, shipping and port industries, allowing young people to build careers that reflect both their traditional knowledge and the realities of the modern economy.

“If TVET programmes are tailored to the seafaring community, I believe more young people will be interested because they can see a clear career pathway,” he said.

Shafiee also called for better internet access, describing digital connectivity as essential for education, employment and access to information.