Malini Dias

ROHANA Angah is 12 years old but you could easily mistake her for a five-year-old girl. The orang asli child weighs 12.4kg and is only about 80cm tall because she suffers from malnutrition. Her eyes are dazed and distant, her mental impairment a result of a fit caused by an electrolyte imbalance in her body last year. Sadly, her stunted body is not that unusual where she lives. Rohana is an orang asli living in an interior village called Pos Kemar in Gerik, Perak.

Dear Extraordinary Teenager, Yes you, the one whose age is a number plus “teen”. You’re wondering why I’m calling you “extraordinary”? Read on. First of all, I’m glad you’re reading this. I know, it’s not your style – maybe a meme would be better. You know, I used to write REAL letters at your age. And with a fountain pen, too. But don’t worry, this isn’t a lecture about “the good old days”. Neither is it a letter to prove you wrong.

The nurse had just put in those eye drops that dilate the pupils so the doctor can check your eyes. Knowing from past experience that it takes my particularly insensitive pupils a long time to open up, I asked the nurse if it was OK to get a bite at the cafeteria, since it was past 2pm and I hadn’t had breakfast. “Ya lah, ya lah, you orang memang macam tu,” she muttered and walked off, the swishing of her uniform pants somehow sounding irritated.