Sarawak population and is the third largest group in Sarawak. The Bidayuh is subdivided further into five different dialect components namely the Bukar Sadong
(Serian), Biatah (Kuching), Jagoi (Bau), Selakau and Lara (Lundu). The Orang
Ulu represents approximately 5% of the total population in Sarawak. 18
TABLE 2: POPULATION BREAKDOWN, SARAWAK, 2010
RACE
POPULATION
PERCENTAGE
Malay
568,113
22.98
Iban
713,421
28.87
Bidayuh
198,473
8.03
Melanau
123,410
4.99
Other Bumiputera
156,436
6.33
Chinese
577,646
27.42
Indian
7,411
0.29
Others
9,183
0.36
117,092
4.73
2,471,140
100
Non-Citizens
TOTAL
(iii) The Natives of Sabah
Currently, there is no official listing in the law that specifies who the natives of
Sabah are. However, according to the Federal Constitution, a native in Sabah
means ‘a person who is a citizen, is the child or grandchild of a person of a race indigenous
to Sabah, and was born (whether on or after Malaysia Day or not) either in Sabah or to a
father domicile in Sabah at the time of the birth’. 19 In addition, Section 2(1) of the
Interpretation (Definition of Native) Ordinance of Sabah defines a ‘native’ to
include the following:
(a)
any person both of whose parents are or were members of a people indigenous to
Sabah; or
18
19
Ibid.
Federal Constitution of Malaysia, (n. 11), Article 161A(6)(b)
8