Around Borneo

Borneo is a huge island. In fact, it is the third largest island in the world. Borneo is shared between four countries of Indonesia, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.

Sabah and Sarawak are member-nations of the federation of Malaysia. Sabah's former name was North Borneo since it is located at the north of this big island. The total population of Borneo in 2009 was 18.59 million. The 2014 population of Kalimantan was almost 14 million. Sarawak has a population of 2.6 million in 2015. The 2015 population of Sabah was 3.5 million. Brunei has less than 500,000 people. This would mean that the estimated population of Borneo now is more than 20 million.

The huge land mass of Kalimantan is inhabited mostly by Dayaks. The Dayaks are also found in Sarawak but they are of different tribes. Sabah's population consists of the Kadazan-Dusun, the largest native group although they are now outnumbered by newcomers from a neighbouring country whose number exceeds one million. These newcomers started to come during the time when USNO (1) was in power but it became a deluge years later under an arrangement in which they were given genuine identity cards, thus, conferring them automatic citizenship including all the privileges of citizenship.

In contrast, some Kadazan children who were born in Brunei when their parents were working there found it almost impossible to get citizenship. Some had given up trying, losing the opportunities enjoyed by Malaysian citizens.

In Kalimantan, the Dayaks became apprehensive when people from Madura were relocated to Kalimantan. Transmigration was started by the Dutch government and continued under Indonesian government particularly under Suharto. This caused conflicts including recent ones between Dayaks and Madurese. But the main cause of the conflicts was the loss of traditional Dayak land caused by development that did not really benefit the Dayaks.

The situation in Sarawak is much better since the Sarawak government has been very protective of the position of Sarawak as an "independent nation". They are now negotiating with the federal government on Sarawak autonomy.

Brunei, an independent country, is an Islamic sultanate. In the past, it ruled a vast area extending even to present-day Manila in the Philippines.

Labuan is the odd man out. It is a federal territory like Kuala Lumpur.

The situation in Borneo is almost like that in the United Kingdom. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland form the United Kingdom. These are autonomous nations in their own right.

The four regions of Borneo, sooner or later, will have to forge an economic understanding in order to survive in a world of economic uncertainty. The construction of the Pan-Borneo Highway will speed up this cooperation. An economically vibrant Borneo will benefit Indonesia, Malaysia particularly Sabah and Sarawak, and also Brunei.





(1) United Sabah National Organization