TEMERLOH, In nearly five months of dabbling her hand in business, an Orang Asli woman, from the Jahut tribe, will have her dream house this May, which was built as a result of sales through the TikTok application. Although it is only a small house to shelter the whole family, it gives immense satisfaction to Nur Rafidah Man, 26, from Kampung Penderas, Kuala Krau, here. Started her business in November last year by producing products based on forest resources such as kacip fatimah (labisia pumila), tongkat ali (eurycoma longifolia jack) and honey, she did not expect that sharing her daily routine, as well as the Orang Asli customs, coupled with her village tranquillity, opened the door for her to generate income. Using the @Jungle Girl account, the mother of a six-year-old daughter is now making a decent living, with nearly 60,000 followers on TikTok. Nur Rafidah said that her confidence to do business through TikTok arose after going through a multimedia and digital business workshop, organised by a spec ial education teacher, at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Kuala Krau, in June and August last year. 'Initially, I doubted if I could do it, but after the first time I did it and saw the results of the commission I got, I felt motivated, and without thinking twice I did it consistently. 'After that, I started doing business as an affiliate, by involving promotion activities and direct sales of other products, such as food and skincare, to get a side commission,' she told Bernama recently. She added that among the things she learned from the workshop were video recording and editing methods, the selection of interesting video content titles, as well as the provision of equipment such as wireless microphones, lights and tripods. Based on that, Nur Rafidah, who previously worked as a school canteen assistant, tried to produce her own products based on forest resources. 'I did not expect my attempt to be successful, and I never thought I would be able to generate more income compared with my previous jo b,' she said, adding that she has sold 9,000 units of her products, such as herbal oil, herbs and honey. Meanwhile, SMK Kuala Krau integration special education multimedia teacher, Mohammad Hazeem Azemi, said that Rafidah was among 43 people from the first group of Orang Asli, who benefited from the multimedia studio facilities at the school. He said that, although the studio was specifically for special education students, the position of SMK Kuala Krau, which is located outside the city, which is about 35 kilometres from Temerloh town, encouraged the school to open the facility to the local population, including Orang Asli. 'I believe that teachers are not only able to change students' thinking, but are also able to help improve the socioeconomics of the local community,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon urged law enforcement Sunday to summon the ambassador to Australia home amid the ongoing investigation into his alleged interference in a military probe into the death of a Marine. Han Dong-hoon, the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party, made the remarks as criticism is growing over the controversial departure of Ambassador Lee Jong-sup to the host country last week despite him being a subject in the investigation. "The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has to subpoena (Lee) immediately and the ambassador has to return immediately," Han told reporters at the party's headquarters in western Seoul. "I don't think it's an issue over which we should engage in political bickering ahead of the elections and cause distress to the people." Lee, a former defense minister, is suspected of exerting undue influence in the Marines' internal probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died last July during a search mission amid heavy rains. Critics say that Lee's appointment and letting him leave the country to take up the top envoy post amount to helping a suspect flee overseas. The issue is increasingly drawing attention weeks before the April general elections. In an interview with the public broadcaster KBS, Lee said he was ready to return home at any time upon the CIO's request. "If the CIO investigates, I will return home tomorrow," he said in the interview aired late Sunday. Lee added that it has been arranged with the CIO that he will undergo questioning when he returns to Seoul to attend a chiefs-of-diplomatic missions meeting in April. Lee maintained that the criticism over his appointment and departure is a political offensive and wrong framing. "I don't cling to the position," he said. "I will do my best so that (the probe) won't affect the carrying out of my duty as ambassador." Han also suggested that Hwang Sang-moo, senior presidential secretary for civil and social agenda, should step down over intimidating remarks he made to reporters last week. The public broadcaster MBC reported Thursday that Hwang, a former KBS news anchor, brought up during lunch with some reporters a 1988 stabbing case of a journalist by soldiers of the military intelligence command. Recalling that the journalist was stabbed twice in the thigh in the attack for writing a column criticizing the military at the time, Hwang told the MBC reporters to "listen carefully," in what may seem to be an apparent warning to the media against running anti-government stories. "It was a remark that does not measure up to the public's expectations, and the secretary must decide on his next course of action," Han said. MBC reported that Hwang also raised suspicions about the civilians-led 1980 democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, alluding to the possible involvement of some professionally trained groups, including from North Korea, besides the ordinary citizens who took part in the revolt. During the nine-day revolt in May 1980, the military junta, led by late former President Chun Doo-hwan, ruthlessly cracked down on civilians. Official data put the death toll at over 200 and thousands wounded, but critics argue that as many as 2,000 people were killed. The suspected involvement of North Korea in the Gwangju incident is an oft-cited claim by hard-line conservatives in South Korean politics. Source: Yonhap News Agency
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