AS dusk settles, activities in an Orang Asli village in Kuala Lipis, Pahang slow down.
Most Kampung Ulu Sinderut villagers retire indoors, relying on lamps to light up their homes.
For Semai families living in the interior of Pahang, this has long been their reality.
While Malaysia’s electrification coverage stands at 99%, pockets of off-grid communities remain, particularly Orang Asli villages within the rural areas of Pahang, Kelantan and Perak.
These areas remain unconnected due to infrastructure requirements like proper road access.
Villagers have been relying on petrol generators and kerosene lamps, with frequent trips required to buy these oils.
Now, thanks to the Kampung Ulu Sinderut Hydro Project by Lightup Borneo, supported by the Star Social Impact Grant (SSIG), reliable electricity supply is available in the village.
As a result, daily life for the Semai has changed significantly.
With the village’s access to a river, a turbine micro-hydro system using gravity-fed water and requiring minimal maintenance emerged as the most practical and cost-effective electricity solution.
Funded by a RM34,000 grant from Star Foundation and supplemented through Lightup Borneo’s own fundraising and volunteer support, the project provides renewable electricity to 35 houses, domestic wiring including distribution boxes, sockets and LED bulbs.
This 7.5kW hydro system now supplies round-the-clock sustainable and stable electricity to homes, sufficient to power small appliances such as fans and to charge phones.
However, navigating the roads throughout the project was a test of perseverance.
Lightup Borneo volunteers and villagers collaborated for weeks to transport heavy piping and machinery through 35km of damaged roads, landslides and single-lane stretches, with some lorries having to turn back due to dangerous conditions.
“We searched Raub town for any vehicle that could get through,” said project coordinator Ong Boon Keong, recalling how a one-tonne 4x4 vehicle made multiple trips carrying pipes after larger lorries were unable to pass.
Villagers formed a hydro committee and were given technical training to monitor and maintain the turbine, pipes and wiring system, an important step in building long-term ownership.
Despite the difficult conditions throughout the project, the impact was immediate.
Children can study at night, women cook and wash safely, and adults can repair tools, make handicrafts or gather socially after dark.
“Before this, we only lived by daylight,” said village chief Tok Batin Norman.
“Now we can do things we never managed before, like repairing fishing nets at night.”
The availability of stable power also sparked economic ideas.
During visits, Lightup Borneo noted that the villagers were cultivating cocoa.
The team now plans to help families produce homemade chocolate for sale to visitors at nearby eco-tourism camps.
Lightup Borneo plans to expand electricity coverage in Kampung Ulu Sinderut in 2026.
Through SSIG, the Kampung Ulu Sinderut Hydro Project shows how passion, resilience and collaboration between local champions, communities and corporates can create lasting positive impact.
SSIG, a grant-giving initiative under Star Foundation – the charitable arm of Star Media Group – supports impactful and sustainable social projects.
Now in its sixth year, the programme offers grants of up to RM50,000 for eligible non-governmental organisations and social enterprises.
Applications for 2026 are open until March 31.
For details, visit bit.ly/starsig
