Virtual Booth

The Orang Asli community in Malaysia, particularly in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, faces economic and linguistic challenges in promoting their local products beyond their immediate geographical and cultural boundaries. As English remains a critical language in business and marketing, limited proficiency in pronunciation and intonation becomes a barrier for these indigenous entrepreneurs to effectively communicate with a wider audience. This study explores the development and implementation of a tailored English Pronunciation and Intonation Training Module aimed at equipping Orang Asli entrepreneurs with essential communication tools to enhance their product promotion capabilities. This qualitative study employed a case study design involving 20 participants from the Orang Asli community in Jempol who are actively engaged in small-scale entrepreneurship. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations during training sessions. Thematic analysis was used to analysed the data by empowerment through voice, language as a gateway to economic mobility, cultural pride in communication and participants  increased motivation. This aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth).

Keywords : English pronunciation, English intonation, SDG, Orang Asli