Report of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples
13
2.12 The population of Sabah is 3,206,742 as of the last census in 2010, with indigenous groups
apparently making up 61.22 percent of the total population. Despite the clarity provided
by the provisions under the Sabah Interpretation (Definition of Native) Ordinance, a large
controversy exists with respect to who are the natives of Sabah, particularly due to the
sudden jump in population over the last 10 years and discrepancies in official data.
2.13 Based on official statistics, the population of Sabah has grown from 929,299 in 1980 to 3.2
million in 2010. In the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, the three major groups
of Kadazandusun, Murut and Bajau as well as ‘Other Bumiputera’ numbered 1.6 million
or 50% of the total population (Table 1). It is worthwhile to note that in the 2000 census,
there was a significant proportion of indigenous groups categorised as ‘Other Bumiputera’
who formed 15% of the population, and the ‘Malay’ category who numbered 12% of the
population. The ‘Malay’ category included Bugis groups whose migration could be traced to
the post-World War II period or earlier, to work in logging camps and in the 1960s in the oil
palm plantations of Sabah.12
TABLE 1 : TOTAL POPULATION FOR SABAH AS OF THE LAST CENSUS 2010
NO
RACE
1
Malay
184,197
5.74
2
Kadazan Dusun
568,575
17.71
3
Bajau
450,279
14.00
4
Murut
102,393
3.20
5
Other Bumiputera
659,856
20.57
6
Chinese
295,674
9.20
7
Indian
7,453
0.23
8
Others
48,527
1.51
9
Non Citizen
889,779
27.74
3,206,742
100
Total Population
POPULATION
PERCENTAGE
References: http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/census2010/ Taburan_Penduduk_dan_Ciriciri_Asas_Demografi.pdf)
2.14 There are differing data on who are bumiputera and who are not. According to the Sabah
Museum, together with the major Bumiputera groups of Kadazandusun, Bajau and Murut,
there are altogether 72 ethnic and sub-ethnic groups. In the Sabah Museum’s category of
‘Other Bumiputera’, there are ethnic and sub-ethnic groups that include Bisaya, Brunei,
Cagayan, Gana, Idahan, Iranun, Kalabakan, Kedayan, Kimaragang, Kwijau, Lotud, Lun Dayo,
Makiang, Begahak, Minokok, Nulu, Paitan, Rumanao, Rungus, Serudong, Suluk, Sungai,
Tidung and Tindal. By contrast, according to the Federal Government list, major ethnic and
sub-ethnic groups who make up the Bumiputera category totaled only 28.13
2.15 Not included in the Sabah Museum list as Bumiputera is the ‘Malay’ category which
is listed in the compilation of the Federal Government. Similarly, the groups referred to by
12 Majid Cooke, Fadzilah (2007). Interim Report prepared for the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu in lieu of the Sabah
Land use Project, Sociology Component, Part 1. Unpublished.
13 Budianto (2008). Attachment A (Sabah Museum List) and B (Federal Government List), pp. 160-161.
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