HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF MALAYSIA Report of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples CONTENTS CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xv CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND TO THE NATIONAL INQUIRY • What is a National Inquiry • Legislative Basis for the National Inquiry • Terms of Reference • Panel of inquiry • Procedure of the National Inquiry • Scope of the National Inquiry • Public Awareness and Empowering Process of the Inquiry 1 2 3 3 3 4 6 7 CHAPTER 2 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF MALAYSIA • Orang Asal or Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia • Natives of Sabah • Natives of Sarawak • Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia 9 11 12 14 15 CHAPTER 3 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ PERSPECTIVE TO LAND SABAH • Indigenous Traditional Territories and the Adat • Gaps between Traditional Land Tenure System and the Sabah Land Ordinance 19 SARAWAK • Adat and Land Tenure • Gaps between Traditional Land Tenure System and the Sarawak Land Code 23 28 PENINSULAR MALAYSIA • Orang Asli Boundaries and Territoriality • Gaps between Orang Asli Customary Tenure and the Aboriginal Peoples Act 29 32 CHAPTER 4 LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS TO LAND • Sources of International Law on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Lands, Territories and Resources and their Authority • Recognition of Land Rights under Malaysian Laws • Relevant Statutes in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia • Indigenous Land Rights and The Federal Constitution Report SUHAKAM i-xx_a4.indd 3 20 21 35 36 42 43 64 7/5/13 6:39 PM