Entrepreneurial development among Orang Asli youth in Malaysia: The role of entrepreneurial traits and tendencies

Siti Hajar Zakariah; Nur Ainaa Syifaa Annuar; Nor Aziah Ahmad; Lisa Mariam Syawal Ismail

doi:10.51200/jpp.v14i1.8049

Authors

Siti Hajar Zakariah Department of Vocational Education, Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
Nur Ainaa Syifaa Annuar Department of Vocational Education, Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
Nor Aziah Ahmad Department of Vocational Education, Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
Lisa Mariam Syawal Ismail Department of Vocational Education, Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51200/jpp.v14i1.8049

Keywords:

creativity, passion, self-confidence, desire, entrepreneurial tendencies, indigenous youth

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is widely recognized as an important driver of economic development and an avenue for improving the quality of life among marginalized communities. However, the involvement of Orang Asli youth in entrepreneurial activities in Hulu Perak remains limited. This study aims to measure the levels of entrepreneurial traits and entrepreneurial tendencies among Orang Asli youth and to examine the relationship between these variables. A quantitative research design was employed using survey questionnaires distributed to 97 Orang Asli youths from two villages in Hulu Perak. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the levels of entrepreneurial traits and tendencies, while Spearman’s correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the variables. The findings indicate that both entrepreneurial traits and entrepreneurial tendencies were at a high level. Passion was identified as the dominant entrepreneurial trait among the respondents. In addition, the results showed a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial traits and entrepreneurial tendencies. These findings suggest that Orang Asli youth with stronger entrepreneurial traits tend to demonstrate higher entrepreneurial tendencies. The study provides policymakers and stakeholders with useful insights for developing appropriate programs and initiatives to encourage entrepreneurial involvement among Orang Asli youth. Further research is recommended to examine the causal relationship between the variables and the effectiveness of entrepreneurship interventions.

References

Abdullah, M. (2020). Entrepreneurial potential among minority communities: A case study of Orang Asli youth in Hulu Perak. Journal of Indigenous Entrepreneurship, 8(1), 45–60.

Abdullah, M., & Salleh, S. (2021). Preserving traditional values as a strategic advantage in entrepreneurship. Journal of Cultural and Business Studies, 13(2), 98–112.

Abdullah, M. A., & Suhaimi, M. N. (2023). Empowering indigenous entrepreneurs: Policies and challenges in Malaysia. University of Malaya Press.

Abdullah, N., Ismail, R., & Ahmad, S. (2020). Entrepreneurship and economic growth in Malaysia: Policies and challenges. International Journal of Business and Society, 21(2), 345–360.

Abdullah, N., Ismail, R., & Khalid, H. (2016). The role of social networks in the success of Orang Asli entrepreneurs. Indigenous Business and Economic Development Journal, 4(2), 45–63.

Abdullah, N., Mansor, N., & Satar, N. (2019). Entrepreneurial development in Malaysia: Strategies and policies for a sustainable economy. Journal of Business and Economics, 12(3), 45–60.

Abdul Rahman, N. I., Mursidi, A., Suffarruddin, S. H., & Rusdi, N. R. A. H. (2024). Rural youth entrepreneurial aspiration: An assessment of TPB and self-efficacy. Global Business Management Review, 16(2), 69–86. https://doi.org/10.32890/gbmr2024.16.2.4

Abu Bakar, N. (2020). Research methodology in social sciences. Academic Press.

Ahmad, N., & Hashim, R. (2021). Personal fulfillment and entrepreneurial success: The impact of passion and commitment. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Community Development, 9(1), 45–67.

Ahmad, N., Rahim, R. A., & Yusof, N. (2021). Cultural identity and entrepreneurship. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business, 9(2), 45–60.

Ahmad, N., Ramli, M. F., & Yusuf, R. (2023). Challenges in entrepreneurship support programs for Indigenous youth. Journal of Indigenous Business Studies, 12(1), 87–105.

Ahmad, S., Hassan, R., & Ismail, A. (2022). Entrepreneurial challenges in Malaysia. Asian Journal of Entrepreneurship, 8(2), 20–38.

Ahmad, S., Rahman, M. N., & Hamid, N. (2024). Enhancing creativity in entrepreneurship education. International Journal of Innovation and Business Strategy, 12(1), 78–94.

Alias, S. N. A. (2014). Kecenderungan keusahawanan dalam kalangan Orang Asli. Universiti Utara Malaysia.

Ali, M. (2020). Cultural values and entrepreneurial decision-making. Journal of Cultural and Entrepreneurial Studies, 8(1), 29–44.

Ali, M., Hassan, M. A., & Zulkifli, R. (2020). Commercialization of Orang Asli traditional crafts. Journal of Indigenous Entrepreneurship, 5(1), 67–85.

Alvarez, S. A., & Barney, J. B. (2020). Entrepreneurial opportunities: How do they arise? Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 44(6), 1143–1165.

Amiruddin, M. H., Mustapha, R., Rahmat, M., & Jelas, Z. M. (2014). Mastery-learning strategies in entrepreneurship education. International Journal of Educational Development, 39, 193–202.

Bandura, A. (2019). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design. SAGE Publications.

Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2020). Population and housing census of Malaysia. DOSM.

Derani, N. E. S., Mokhtar, M., & Nawanir, G. (2023). An indigenous entrepreneur: How do the extended TPB, self-reliance and self-sufficiency impact entrepreneurial intention and behaviour? International Journal of Business Management, 6(1), 1–15.

Gunasegaran, H., Ang, S. M., & Loo, H. R. (2025). Building entrepreneurs in academia: How education, social support and self-efficacy shape intentions among Malaysian students? Malaysian Journal of Business and Economics, 12(1), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.51200/mjbe.v12i1.6575

Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA). (2023). Annual report on Orang Asli socio-economic development.

Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi. (2023). Dasar Keusahawanan Nasional 2030.

Kuratko, D. F. (2017). Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, and practice (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2024). Annual Report 2023. https://www.moe.gov.my/storage/files/shares/Dasar/PPPM/PPPM%20Laporan%20Tahunan%202023%20%28BI%29.pdf

Noor, N. H. M., Fuzi, A. M., & El Ashfahany, A. (2023). Institutional support and self-efficacy as catalysts for new venture performance: A study of iGen entrepreneurs. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 12(3/4), 173–196.

Tan, P. F., Abd Rahim, M. F., & Ong, J. W. (2025). A preliminary investigation of personality traits and characteristics of young agropreneurs. Issues and Perspectives in Business and Social Sciences, 6(1), 55–70.

Roberts, S. (2020, April 9). Early string ties us to Neanderthals. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/science/neanderthals-fiber-string-math.html