That is to say, they should be allowed to continue to bear the responsibility of educating their children—only this time as equal partners with the education professionals. Having considered all the above, it is clear that the Orang Asli are once again losing out on education, as demonstrated by the high dropout rate. There is also a need to recognise that the single-most reason why Orang Asli children drop out of school is poverty. Withdrawal of educational assistance on a per capita basis will only mean more Orang Asli children being forced to stop schooling. Parents should also be allowed to be more involved in their children’s education and be allowed to take on a more proactive role. 2.3 RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION An important concept in the context of indigenous peoples that is often overlooked or denied, is that of the right to self-determination. The term has different applications for different indigenous peoples in different countries and can mean the right to sovereignty or the right to autonomy within a nation state. In principle, the right to self-determination incorporates certain inalienable rights of the indigenous peoples on account of their prior presence on the land. Many of these indigenous communities still maintain exclusive communities, speak their own languages, practice customs according to an adat or customary law, and have their own systems of leadership and governance. The Orang Asli, as a community, clearly satisfy the criteria for being regarded as indigenous peoples. It follows then that they are also entitled to the right of self-determination. ORANG ASLI – RIGHTS, PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS 63