97-512: The Sama-Bajau include several Austronesian ethnic groups of Maritime Southeast Asia . The name collectively refers to related people who usually call themselves the Sama or Samah (formally A'a Sama , "Sama people"); or are known by the exonym Bajau ( / ˈ b ɑː dʒ aʊ , ˈ b æ -/ , also spelled Badjao , Bajaw , Badjau , Badjaw , Bajo or Bayao ). They usually live a seaborne lifestyle and use small wooden sailing vessels such as
194-623: A 1974 Memorandum of Understanding, "Indonesian traditional fishermen" are allowed to fish within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Australia, which includes traditional fishing grounds of Sama-Bajau fishermen. However, illegal fishing encroachment of Corporate Sea Trawlers in these areas has led to concern about overfishing , and the destruction of Sama-Bajau vessels. In 2014, Indonesian authorities destroyed six Filipino Sama-Bajau boats caught fishing in Indonesian waters. This
291-620: A better deal. Malays should be assisted to attain parity with non-Malays to forge a united Malayan Nation of equals." Article 153 of the Constitution states that, It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with
388-663: A bumiputera ethnic group in Malaysia was coined by Abdul Razak Hussein . It recognised the "special position" of the Malays provided in the Constitution of Malaysia , in particular Article 153 . However, the constitution does not use the term bumiputera; it defines only "Malay" and " aboriginal peoples " (Article 160(2)), "natives" of Sarawak (161A(6)(a)), and "natives" of Sabah (Article 161A(6) (b)). Definitions of bumiputera in public use vary among different institutions, organisations, and government departments and agencies. In
485-567: A significant number are also illiterate, uneducated, and impoverished, due to their nomadic lifestyle. The number of modern Sama-Bajau who are born and live primarily at sea is diminishing. Cultural assimilation and modernisation are regarded as the main causes. Particularly blamed is the dissolution of the Sultanate of Sulu , the traditional patron of the Sama-Bajau for bartering fish for farm goods. The money-based fish markets which replaced
582-580: A single distinct bangsa ("ethnic group" or "nation"). It is generally accepted that these groups of people can be termed Sama or Bajau , though they never call themselves Bajau in the Philippines. Instead, they call themselves with the names of their tribes, usually the place they live or place of origin. For example, the sea-going Sama-Bajau prefer to call themselves the Sama Dilaut or Sama Mandilaut (literally 'sea Sama' or 'ocean Sama') in
679-607: A three-part self-description, such as "Bajau Suluk Dusun ". The following are the major subgroups usually recognised as distinct: The following are subgroups that do not self-identify as Sama, although they are culturally related to the Sama people and speak a Sama-Bajaw language : The Sama–Bajau peoples speak some ten languages of the Sama–Bajau subgroup of the Western Malayo-Polynesian language family . Sinama
776-403: A unique genetic signal among the Sama-Bajau of the Philippines and Indonesia. This genetic signal (called the "Sama ancestry" by the authors) identifies them as descendants of an ancient migration of Austroasiatic -affiliated hunter-gatherer groups from mainland Southeast Asia via the now sunken land bridges of Sundaland around 15,000 to 12,000 years ago. These populations admixed with both
873-716: A very low status in the caste-based Tausūg Sultanate of Sulu. This survived into the modern Philippines where the Sama-Bajau are still subjected to strong cultural prejudice from the Tausūg. The Sama-Bajau have also been frequent victims of theft, extortion, kidnapping, and violence from the predominantly Tausūg Abu Sayyaf insurgents as well as pirates. This discrimination and the continuing violence in Muslim Mindanao have driven many Sama-Bajau to emigrate. They usually resettle in Malaysia and Indonesia, where they have more employment opportunities. But even in Malaysia, their presence
970-541: Is a commonly-held belief that the public university entry requirements are easier for matriculation students and disproportionately difficult for STPM students. Quotas also exist for Public Services Department (JPA) scholarships, full scholarships offered to students to study in leading universities worldwide. These scholarships are given on the basis of SPM ( Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia , the equivalent of O-Levels ) results, ethnic group, and certain quotas. The JPA scholars are sent to selected pre-university programmes offered by
1067-523: Is a failure of economic, social and educational policies, you come back and say, oh, these wicked Chinese, Indian and others opposing Malay rights. They don't oppose Malay rights. They, the Malay, have the right as Malaysian citizens to go up to the level of training and education that the more competitive societies, the non-Malay society, has produced. That is what must be done, isn't it? Not to feed them with this obscurantist doctrine that all they have got to do
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#17327730198241164-464: Is a small minority of Catholics and Protestants in the Bajau diaspora, particularly from Davao del Sur in the Philippines. Among the modern coastal Sama-Bajau of Malaysia, claims to religious piety and learning are an important source of individual prestige. Some of the Sama-Bajau lack mosques and must rely on the shore-based communities such as those of the more Islamised or Malay peoples . Some of
1261-469: Is first celebrated under a sacred dangkan tree ( strangler figs , known elsewhere in the Philippines as balete ) symbolising the male spirit Umboh Tuhan and afterwards in the centre of a grove of kama'toolang trees ( pandan trees ) symbolising the female spirit Dayang Dayang Mangilai . The trance dancing is called mag-igal and involves female and male and igal jinn , called the jinn denda and jinn lella respectively. The jinn denda perform
1358-404: Is not, however, regarded as a spirit possession , since the igal jinn never lose control of their bodies. Instead, the igal jinn are believed to have acquired their familiar spirit ( jinn ) after surviving a serious or near-fatal illness. For the rest of their lives, the igal jinn is believed to share their bodies with the particular jinn who saved them. One important religious event among
1455-847: Is particularly serious for the Sama-Bajau, whose boats are also oftentimes their homes. Sama-Bajau fishermen are often associated with illegal and destructive practices, like blast fishing , cyanide fishing , coral mining , and cutting down mangrove trees . It is believed that the Sama-Bajau resort to these activities mainly due to sedentarisation brought about by the restrictions imposed on their nomadic culture by modern nation-states . With their now limited territories, they have little alternative means of competing with better-equipped land-based and commercial fishermen and earn enough to feed their families. The Indonesian government and certain non-governmental organisations have launched several programs for providing alternative sustainable livelihood projects for Sama-Bajau to discourage these practices (such as
1552-518: Is quite distinct from other nearby Central Philippine languages like Tausūg and Tagalog . Instead of the primary stress being usually on the final syllable; the primary stress occurs on the second-to-the-last syllable of the word in Sinama. This placement of the primary stress is similar to Manobo and other languages of the predominantly animistic ethnic groups of Mindanao, the Lumad peoples . In 2006,
1649-594: Is racial-based and not deprivation-based. For instance, all bumiputera, regardless of their financial standing, are entitled 7 percent discount on houses or property, including luxurious units; whilst a low-income non-bumiputra receives no such financial assistance. Other preferential policies include quotas for the following: admission to government educational institutions, qualification for public scholarships, marking of universities exam papers, special bumiputera-only classes prior to university's end of term exams, for positions in government, and ownership of businesses. Most of
1746-543: Is set aside for making sweet rice cakes ( durul ). Additional prayers ( zikir ), which includes calling the names of ancestors out loud, are offered to the Umboh after the rice meals have been prepared. Pag-umboh is a solemn and formal affair. Another annual religious ceremony among the boat-dwelling Sama Dilaut is the pagkanduli (literally "festive gathering"). It involves ritual dancing to Umboh Tuhan , Dayang Dayang Mangilai , and ancestral ghosts called bansa . The ritual
1843-521: Is sometimes controversial. It is used similarly in the Malay world , Indonesia , and Brunei . The term is derived from the Sanskrit language which was later absorbed into the classical Malay word bhumiputra ( Sanskrit : भूमिपुत्र , romanized : bhū́miputra ). This can be translated literally as "son of the land" or "son of the soil". In Indonesia , this term is known as " Pribumi ";
1940-592: Is still controversial as most of them are illegal immigrants . Most illegal Sama-Bajau immigrants enter Malaysia through offshore islands. From there, they enter mainland Sabah to find work as manual labourers. Others migrate to the northern islands of the Philippines, particularly to the Visayas , Palawan , the northern coast of Mindanao, and even as far as southern Luzon . Though these are relatively safer regions, they are also more economically disadvantaged and socially excluded, leading to Filipinos sometimes stereotyping
2037-495: Is subject to bumiputera hiring preferences. The NEM [New Economic Model] proposes reforming ethnic preferences in business ownership and social safety net programs. Some conservative bumiputera groups have voiced strong opposition to any significant changes to the extensive preferences." Examples of such policies include: As a result of these policies, many bumiputera with good connections quickly became millionaires. According to Rafidah Aziz , former Minister of Trade and Industry,
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#17327730198242134-491: Is that the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia are not considered bumiputera under the federal constitution. As their settlement predates that of the Malays, it is considered by many, that bumiputera is about the promotion one religion over another, especially since Orang Asli are much worse off than Muslim Malays. Others argue that the Orang Asli are in fact considered bumiputera. On 1 March 2009, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat ,
2231-418: Is the highly offensive Luwaan , meaning "spat out" or "outcast" based on a folk tale justifying their subservience supposedly out of their trickery and ingratefulness towards God. They were also marginalised by other Moro peoples because they still practised animist folk religions either exclusively or alongside Islam , and thus were viewed as "uncivilised pagans". Boat-dwelling and shoreline Sama-Bajau had
2328-693: Is the most common name for these languages, but they are also called Bajau , especially in Malaysia. Most Sama-Bajau can speak multiple languages. The Sama-Bajau languages were once classified under the Central Philippine languages of the Malayo-Polynesian geographic group of the Austronesian language family. But due to marked differences with neighbouring languages, they were moved to a separate branch altogether from all other Philippine languages. For example, Sinama pronunciation
2425-679: Is the oldest account of the Sama-Bajau. It further corroborates the fact that they predate the arrival of the Tausūg settlers and are indigenous to the Sulu archipelago and parts of Mindanao. Sama-Bajau were first recorded by European explorers in 1521 by Antonio Pigafetta of the Magellan-Elcano expedition in what is now the Zamboanga Peninsula . Pigafetta writes that the "people of that island make their dwellings in boats and do not live otherwise". They have also been present in
2522-565: Is to get Malay rights for the few special Malays and their problem has been resolved." At the 2004 annual general assembly of the United Malays National Organisation , which is the largest member of the governing coalition, deputy chair Badruddin Amiruldin cautioned against questioning the bumiputera's special rights, which met with approval from the delegates: "Let no one from the other races ever question
2619-471: Is unlikely, especially in view of the constitutional issues involved, although successive administrations since Mahathir have attempted to reform the system of government aid for the bumiputera. Some bumiputera groups believe further affirmative action is necessary. Parliament began to use the term bumiputra in 1965. Following debate of the act to create the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA),
2716-602: The perahu ( layag in Maranao ), djenging ( balutu ), lepa , and vinta ( pilang ). Some Sama-Bajau groups native to Sabah are also known for their traditional horse culture . The Sama-Bajau are the dominant ethnic group of the islands of Tawi-Tawi . They are also found in other islands of the Sulu Archipelago , coastal areas of Mindanao and other islands in the southern Philippines ; as well as northern and eastern Borneo , Sulawesi , and throughout
2813-475: The 13 May Incident in 1969 and to placate the Malay majority through granting them a privileged status over Malaysian Chinese. Originally intended as a temporary measure, these policies are still in effect. They have been described as racially discriminatory. Although the policies have succeeded in creating a significant urban Malay and Native Bornean middle class, they have been less effective in eradicating poverty among rural communities. The concept of
2910-592: The Austronesian peoples . This would also explain why even boat-dwelling Sama-Bajau still practice agricultural rituals, despite being exclusively fishermen. Linguistic evidence further points to Borneo as the ultimate origin of the proto-Sama-Bajau people. A genetic study of three groups—the Derawan of Northeast Borneo, the Kotabaru of Southeast Borneo, and the Kendari of Southeast Sulawesi—suggested that their origin
3007-691: The Banguingui ) were involved, along with non-Sama-Bajau groups like the Iranun . The scope of their pirate activities was extensive, commonly sailing from Sulu to as far as the Moluccas and back again. Aside from early European colonial records, they may have also been the pirates described by Chinese and Arabian sources in the Straits of Singapore in the 12th and 13th centuries. Sama-Bajau usually served as low-ranking crewmembers of war boats, directly under
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3104-535: The Brunei Malay word bajaul , which means "to fish". The term Bajau has pejorative connotations in the Philippines, indicating poverty in comparison to the term Sama , especially since it is used most commonly to refer to poverty-stricken Sama-Bajau who make a living through begging. British administrators in Sabah classified the Sama-Bajau as "Bajau" and labelled them as such in their birth certificates. Thus,
3201-762: The Moken of the Burmese-Thai Mergui Archipelago , the Orang Laut of southeastern Sumatra and the Riau Islands of Indonesia, and the Tanka people of Southern China . The modern outward spread of the Sama-Bajau from older inhabited areas seems to have been associated with the development of sea trade in sea cucumber ( trepang ). Sama-Bajau is a collective term, referring to several closely related indigenous people who consider themselves
3298-733: The Tausūg who are more closely related to the northern Philippine ethnic groups like the Visayans . In 1965, the anthropologist David E. Sopher claimed that the Sama-Bajau, along with the Orang laut , descended from ancient " Veddoid " (Australoid) hunter-gatherers from the Riau Archipelago who intermarried with Austronesians . They retained their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, though they became more maritime-oriented as Southeast Asia became more populated by later Austronesian settlers. In 1968,
3395-487: The kalamat . The kalamat are known in Muslim Sama-Bajau as the wali jinn (literally "custodian of jinn ") and may adhere to taboos concerning the treatment of the sea and other cultural aspects. The kalamat presides over Sama-Bajau community events along with mediums known as igal jinn . The kalamat and the igal jinn are said to be "spirit-bearers" and are believed to be hosts of familiar spirits . It
3492-547: The umboh referred more specifically to ancestral spirits , different from the saitan ( nature spirits ) and the jinn ( familiar spirits ); some literature refers to all of them as umboh . These include Umboh Baliyu (the spirits of wind and storms), and Umboh Payi or Umboh Gandum (the spirits of the first rice harvest). They include totemic spirits of animals and plants, including Umboh Summut (totem of ants ) and Umboh Kamun (totem of mantis shrimp ). The construction and launch of sailing vessels are ritualised, and
3589-726: The "Badjao Girl"), went viral in the Philippines. One Tausug Muslim who was interviewed insulted the Bajau people, who are also Muslim but he declared the Bajau as non-Muslim and compared killing a Bajau to killing a monkey, saying it was not worth the effort for a juramentado to attack Bajau. There are Tausug in Sulu who takfir the Bajau and declared them as non-Muslims despite them following Islam and discriminate against them due to their lifestyle. In Indonesia many discriminate against them with false stereotypes, accusing them of using love potions on women and were untrustworthy. The Sama-Bajau are fragmented into highly diverse subgroups. They have never been politically united and are usually subject to
3686-654: The "Lord of the Sea") and his consort, Dayang Dayang Mangilai ("Lady of the Forest"). Umboh Tuhan is regarded as the creator deity who made humans equal to animals and plants. Like other animistic religions, they fundamentally divide the world into the physical and spiritual realms which coexist. In modern Muslim Sama-Bajau, Umboh Tuhan (or simply Tuhan or Tuan ) is usually equated with Allah . Other objects of reverence are spirits known as umboh ("ancestor", also variously spelled omboh , m'boh , mbo' , etc.). Traditionally,
3783-484: The 16th century. They also engaged in extensive trade with China for "luxury" sea products like trepang , pearls , and shark fin . From Zamboanga, some members of these people adopted an exclusively seaborne culture and spread outwards in the 10th century towards Basilan, Sulu, Borneo, and Sulawesi. They arrived in Borneo in the 11th century. This hypothesis is currently the most widely accepted among specialists studying
3880-654: The 17th-century, the Spanish priest Francisco Combés calls the Sama-Bajau as the Lutao ("[people who] float on water") in his Historia de las Islas de Mindanao, Iolo, y sus adyacentes (1667), and describes them as building houses on the sea because they "hate land". They were described as being the subjects of the Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao , and they were esteemed for their shipbuilding skills and were commonly hired as crews of warships. For most of their history,
3977-613: The Malaysian Higher Education Ministry defined bumiputra as follows, depending on the region of origin of the individual applicant: In addition to the interpretation given above, a broader definition of bumiputera include groups such as native Indonesians , Malaysian Siamese , Muslim Indian Malaysians, Peranakan and the Kristang people of Portuguese-Eurasian descent. Most of these encompass communities that were established in southeast Asia prior to
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4074-456: The Minister of Higher Education, Mustapa Mohamad, stated that he wanted public universities to recruit more non-bumiputera academic staff to "strive for world-class institutions", which may have signaled a move toward less racial discrimination in academia. However this does not affect entry into universities, which is still designed to restrict other races access to higher education in favour of
4171-536: The Philippines to rehabilitate Sama-Bajau refugees and teach them livelihood skills. In 2016, the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources started a project for distributing fishing boats, gear, and other livelihood materials among Sama-Bajau communities in Luzon . This was largely the result of raised awareness and an outpouring of support after a photo of a Sama-Bajau beggar, Rita Gaviola (dubbed
4268-580: The Philippines, the Sama-Bajau can be divided into three general groups based on where they settle: Other minor Sama-Bajau groups named after islands of origin include the Sama Bannaran, Sama Davao, Sama Zamboanga Sikubung, Sama Tuaran, Sama Semporna, Sama Sulawesi, Sama Simunul, Sama Tabawan, Sama Tandubas (or Sama Tando' Bas), and Sama Ungus Matata. Mixed-heritage Sama-Bajau and Tausūg communities are sometimes known as "Bajau Suluk" in Malaysia. People of multiple ethnic parentage may further identify with
4365-439: The Philippines; in Malaysia, they identify as Bajau Laut. Sea-going Bajau are given the pejorative name Pala'au or Palauh by other Bajau groups, which has been adopted by Malaysian mainstream media. Historically in the Philippines, the term Sama referred to the more land-oriented and settled Sama–Bajau groups, while Bajau referred only to more sea-oriented, boat-dwelling, nomadic groups. Even these distinctions are fading as
4462-411: The Sama-Bajau have a common theme which claims that they were originally a land-dwelling people who were the subjects of a king who had a daughter. After she is lost by either being swept away to the sea (by a storm or a flood) or being taken captive by a neighbouring kingdom, they were then supposedly ordered to find her. After failing to do so they decided to remain nomadic for fear of facing the wrath of
4559-463: The Sama-Bajau have been a nomadic , seafaring people, living off the sea by trading and subsistence fishing. The boat-dwelling Sama-Bajau see themselves as non-aggressive people. They kept close to the shore by erecting houses on stilts and travelled using lepa , handmade boats which many lived in. A 2021 genetic study shows that some Sama-Bajau have Austroasiatic ancestry. Most of the various oral traditions and tarsila (royal genealogies ) among
4656-537: The Sama-Bajau in Malaysia may sometimes self-identify as "Bajau". The Malaysian government recognizes the Sama-Bajau as legally Bumiputera under the "Bajau" subgroup which guarantees easy access to the special sociopolitical privileges also granted to Malaysian Malays ; to a point of them identifying as "Malay" for political reasons. This is especially true for recent Moro Filipino migrants . The indigenous Sama-Bajau in Malaysia have also started labelling themselves as their ancestors called themselves, such as Simunul. In
4753-529: The Sama-Bajau is the annual feast known as pag-umboh or magpaay-bahaw , an offering of thanks to Umboh Tuhan . In this ceremony, newly harvested rice ( paay-bahaw ) are dehusked ( magtaparahu ) while Islamic prayers ( duaa ) are recited. They are dried ( magpatanak ) and are then laid out in small conical piles symbolic of mountains ( bud ) on the living room floor (a process known as the "sleeping of rice"). After two or three nights, two-thirds are set aside for making sweet rice meals ( panyalam ), while one-third
4850-582: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.133 via cp1102 cp1102, Varnish XID 551464641 Upstream caches: cp1102 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:50:20 GMT Bumiputera (Malaysia) Bumiputera or bumiputra ( Jawi : بوميڤوترا , Native) is a term used in Malaysia to describe Malays , the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia , and various indigenous peoples of East Malaysia . The term
4947-565: The ancestors of the Indonesian Sama-Bajau. However, there are other versions that are more mythological and do not mention a princess. Among the Philippine Sama-Bajau, for example, there is a myth that claims that the Sama-Bajau were accidentally towed into what is now Zamboanga by a giant stingray. Incidentally, the native pre-Hispanic name of Zamboanga City is "Samboangan" (literally "mooring place"), which
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#17327730198245044-535: The anthropologist Harry Arlo Nimmo, on the other hand, believed that the Sama-Bajau are indigenous to the Sulu Archipelago, Sulawesi, and/or Borneo, and do not share a common origin with the Orang laut. Nimmo proposed that the boat-dwelling lifestyle developed among the ancestors of the Sama-Bajau independently from the Orang laut. A more recent study in 1985 by the anthropologist Alfred Kemp Pallasen compares
5141-545: The boat-dwelling Sama-Bajau as beggars and squatters . The ancestral roaming and fishing grounds of the Sama-Bajau straddled the borders of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. And they have sometimes voyaged as far as the Timor and Arafura Seas . In modern times, they have lost access to most of these sites. There have been efforts to grant Sama-Bajau some measures of rights to fish in traditional areas, but most Sama-Bajau still suffer from legal persecution. For example, under
5238-530: The bumiputera. The manufacturing sector is exempted from the Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) Guidelines and the mandatory 30% Bumiputera equity and restrictions in market entry have been removed for all (manufacturing) sub-sectors. Malaysia requires citizens to carry a national identification card called MyKad . Smart Cards identify citizens as Muslims or non-Muslims. The national identification card does not specify whether or not
5335-785: The command of Iranun squadron leaders, who in turn answered to the Tausūg datu of the Sultanate of Sulu. The Bajoe harbour in Sulawesi was the site of a small settlement of Sama-Bajau under the Bugis Sultanate of Bone . They were significantly involved in the First and Second Bone Wars (1824–1825) when the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army sent a punitive expedition in retaliation for Bugis and Makassar attacks on local Dutch garrisons. After
5432-400: The commercial sector was taken over by wealthy Chinese merchants. The Communities Liaison Committee (CLC), comprising leading politicians from different racial backgrounds, supported the promotion of economic equality for the Malays, conditional on political equality for the non-Malays. CLC member E.E.C. Thuraisingham later said, "I and others believed that the backward Malays should be given
5529-661: The eastern Indonesian islands. In the Philippines, they are grouped with the religiously similar Moro people . Within the last fifty years, many of the Filipino Sama-Bajau have migrated to neighbouring Sabah and the northern islands of the Philippines, due to the conflict in Mindanao . As of 2010, they were the second-largest ethnic group in Sabah. Sama-Bajau have sometimes been called the "Sea Gypsies" or "Sea Nomads", terms that have also been used for non-related ethnic groups with similar traditional lifestyles, such as
5626-685: The fall of Bone, most Sama-Bajau resettled in other areas of Sulawesi. During the British colonial rule of Sabah , the Sama-Bajau were involved in two uprisings against the North Borneo Chartered Company : the Mat Salleh rebellion from 1894 to 1905, and the Pandasan Affair of 1915. Modern Sama-Bajau are generally regarded as peaceful, hospitable, and cheerful people, despite their humble circumstances. However,
5723-472: The first dance known as igal limbayan under the dangkan tree, with the eldest leading. They are performed with intricate movements of the hands, usually with metal fingernail extensions called sulingkengkeng . If the dance and music are pleasing, the bansa are believed to take possession of the dancers, whereupon the wali jinn will assist in releasing them at the end of the dance. Austronesian people Too Many Requests If you report this error to
5820-482: The government founded an agency to preserve bumiputera interests. In July 2017, Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the government would consider the request of the Muslim Indian community to be recognized as bumiputera, in what is seen as a move to woo voters in the lead-up to the upcoming general election . Certain but not all pro-bumiputera policies exist as affirmative action for bumiputera, for NEP
5917-403: The government – from there, they apply to universities. In the 1965 session of Parliament , Singapore 's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (who was also a member of that Parliament) questioned the implementation of Malay rights as proposed. Lee asked, "How does the Malay in the kampung find his way out into this modernised civil society? By becoming servants of the 0.3 per cent who would have
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#17327730198246014-472: The heading "Ethnic Preferences", part of a paragraph describes the reality of the bumiputera policy as follows: "Many of the preference policies are opaque, with details of implementation largely left to the various ministries and civil servants within those ministries. Policies and practices vary greatly. Some practices are explicit and contained in law or regulation, while others are informal, leaving much ambiguity for potential investors. The civil service itself
6111-574: The increase of influence and trading activities of the Srivijaya Empire . Genetically, the Sama-Bajau are highly diverse, indicating heavy admixture with the locals or even language and cultural adoption by coastal groups in the areas they settled. However, the study is restricted to the Indonesian Bajo subgroup, and the authors recommend additional studies from Sama-Bajau groups in neighbouring regions. A 2021 genetic study discovered
6208-456: The king. One such version widely told among the Sama-Bajau of Borneo claims that they descended from Johorean royal guards who were escorting a princess named Dayang Ayesha for marriage to a ruler in Sulu . However, the Sultan of Brunei (allegedly Muhammad Shah of Brunei ) also fell in love with the princess. On the way to Sulu, they were attacked by Bruneians in the high seas. The princess
6305-403: The land-based political groups of the areas they settle, such as the Sultanate of Brunei and the former Sultanate of Sulu . Most subgroups of Sama-Bajau name themselves after the place they originated from (usually an island). Each subgroup speaks a distinct language or dialect that are usually mutually intelligible with their immediate neighbouring subgroup in a continuous linguistic chain. In
6402-479: The latter is also used in Malaysia but in a more generic sense to mean "indigenous peoples". In the 1970s, the Malaysian government implemented policies designed to favour bumiputera (including affirmative action in public education and in the public sector) in order to elevate the socioeconomic status of the economically disadvantaged bumiputera community. It was an effort to defuse interethnic tensions following
6499-589: The law, and "Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment." Article 153 itself expressly forbids particular forms of discrimination; clause 5 states that "All persons of whatever race in
6596-810: The linguist Robert Blust proposed that the Sama-Bajaw languages derived from the Barito lexical region , though not from any established group. It is thus a sister group to other Barito languages like Dayak and Malagasy . It is classified under the Bornean geographic group. Sama-Bajau languages are usually written in the Jawi alphabet . Religion can vary among the Sama-Bajau subgroups; from strict adherence to Sunni Islam , forms of folk Islam (itself influenced by Sufi traditions of early Muslim missionaries), to animistic beliefs in spirits and ancestor worship. There
6693-581: The majority of Sama-Bajau have long since abandoned boat living, most for Sama-style piling houses in the coastal shallows. Sama is believed to have originated from the Austronesian root word sama meaning "together", "same", or "kin". The exact origin of the exonym Bajau is unclear. Some authors have proposed that it is derived from a corruption of the Malay word berjauh ('getting further apart' or 'the state of being away') or in Indonesian word it means boat dwelling. Other possible origins include
6790-492: The money to hire them to clean their shoe, open their motorcar doors?" and "How does telling a Malay bus driver that he should support the party of his Malay director (UMNO) and the Chinese bus conductor to join another party of his Chinese director (MCA) – how does that improve the standards of the Malay bus driver and the Chinese bus conductor who are both workers in the same company?" Lee closed with "Meanwhile, whenever there
6887-529: The more nomadic Sama-Bajau, like the Ubian Bajau, are much less adherent to orthodox Islam. They practice a syncretic form of folk Islam, revering local sea spirits, known in Islamic terminology as Jinn . The ancient Sama-Bajau were animistic , and this is retained wholly or partially in some Sama-Bajau groups. The supreme deities in Sama-Bajau mythology are Umboh Tuhan (also known as Umboh Dilaut ,
6984-424: The name "Bajau" instead of "Sama"). Among the Indonesian Sama-Bajau, on the other hand, their oral histories place more importance on the relationship of the Sama-Bajau with the Sultanate of Gowa rather than Johor. The various versions of their origin myth tell about a royal princess who was washed away by a flood. She was found and eventually married a king or a prince of Gowa. Their offspring then allegedly became
7081-564: The natives of the mainland of Malaya and the natives of the Borneo States". He later qualified that the benefits under Article 153 were for "the natives of Malaysia…who are less advanced and less able to compete with these other Malaysians". In the book Buku Panduan Kemasukan ke Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Awam, Program Pengajian Lepasan SPM/Setaraf Sesi Akademik 2007/2008 (Guidebook for entry into public higher learning institutions for SPM/equivalent graduates for academic year 2007/2008),
7178-399: The oral traditions with historical facts and linguistic evidence. He puts the date of the ethnogenesis of Sama-Bajau as 800 AD and also rejects a historical connection between the Sama-Bajau and the Orang laut. He hypothesises that the Sama-Bajau originated from a proto-Sama-Bajau people inhabiting the Zamboanga Peninsula who practised both fishing and slash-and-burn agriculture. They were
7275-423: The original inhabitants of Zamboanga and the Sulu archipelago, and were well-established in the region long before the first arrival of the Tausūg people at around the 13th century from their homelands along the northern coast of eastern Mindanao. Along with the Tausūg, they were heavily influenced by the Malay kingdoms both culturally and linguistically, becoming Indianised by the 15th century and Islamised by
7372-511: The parliamentary debate of 13 November 1965, the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman , was asked by Lim Chong Eu if there is a "legal and constitutional definition of the term "Bumiputera", and whether the children of Malaysian citizens who were born after 31 August 1963, will also be entitled to all the rights of "Bumiputera". To this, Tunku replied: "Mr Speaker, Sir, the term 'Bumiputera'...has no legal meaning except in so far as to denote
7469-404: The period of British colonial rule which saw large-scale immigration from China . Others favour a definition encompassing all children of bumiputera. In Sarawak, there were cases of people with one bumiputera parent and one non-bumiputera parent being dismissed as non-bumiputera. However, this law was changed in 2022. At the time of Malaya's independence from British colonial rule in 1957,
7566-603: The policies were established in the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP) period. Many policies focus on trying to achieve a bumiputerashare of corporate equity, comprising at least 30% of the total. Ismail Abdul Rahman proposed this target after the government was unable to agree on a suitable policy goal. In a report titled 2012 Investment Climate Statement – Malaysia published by the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (US Department of State), under
7663-521: The policy was to create "Towering Malays". In 2005 she gave a speech that stated: "If there are young Malay entrepreneurs whose companies are successful, then we appreciate their success, we want Towering Malays of glokal (global and local) standard". She also said that the policy of Approved Permits (APs) had produced many bumiputera entrepreneurs in the automotive industry. Since 2000, the government has discussed phasing out certain affirmative action programs and reinstating " meritocracy ". In 2003 it began
7760-456: The population included many first- or second-generation immigrants who had come to fill manpower needs as indentured labourers , among rich Chinese merchants and settlers who brought their wealth and investment into Malaysia. Chinese immigrants, who typically settled in urban areas, played a significant role in the commercial sector after the Indians left the country to return to India, much of
7857-541: The preexisting Negrito populations, and later on, the incoming migrations of the Austronesian peoples (also adopting an Austronesian language in the process). They are genetically clustered with the Lua and Mlabri peoples of mainland Southeast Asia, as well as the Manobo people of mainland Mindanao . The study also identifies minimal South Asian gene flow among Sama populations starting at around 1000 years ago. Sama ancestry
7954-497: The provisions of this Article. Article 160 defines a Malay as being one who "professes the religion of Islam , habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay customs and is the child of at least one parent who was born within the Federation of Malaysia before independence of Malaya on 31 August 1957, or the issue of such a person." Article 8 of the Constitution, states that all Malaysian citizens shall be equal under
8051-495: The rights of Malays on this land. Don't question the religion because this is my right on this land." In 2004, Mohd. Johari Baharum, parliamentary secretary of the Prime Minister's Department, stated that the PSD scholarships would remain quota based. He added that there were no plans to convert this to a merit based system, and that the total value of the PSD scholarship since 1996 was 2.4 billion ringgit . Another controversial aspect
8148-526: The same grade in the service of the Federation shall, subject to the terms and conditions of their employment, be treated impartially," while clause 9 states: "Nothing in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays." The concept of the bumiputera's special position has been disputed. The Reid Commission , which drafted the Constitution, initially proposed that Article 153 expire after 15 years unless renewed by Parliament . This qualification
8245-426: The seasonal trade around mooring points necessitates a more land-based lifestyle for greater market penetration. In Malaysia, some hotly debated government programs have also resettled Bajau to the mainland. The Sama-Bajau in the Sulu Archipelago were historically discriminated against by the dominant Tausūg people , who viewed boat-dwelling Sama-Bajau as 'inferior' and as outsiders—the traditional Tausūg term for them
8342-523: The special position was "a slur on the ability of the Malays." In 1970, however, one member of the Cabinet said that Malay special rights would remain for "hundreds of years to come." In the 1970s, the government implemented the New Economic Policy (NEP), designed to be a more aggressive form of affirmative action for the bumiputera than Article 153. Article 153 provides specifically for
8439-773: The spiritual leader of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party stated that the term bumiputera is racist and the policy prevented other races from receiving government aid. Nik Aziz's remarks were made in response to the criticisms and threats made by UMNO against Democratic Action Party 's Boo Cheng Hau , the opposition leader in Johor when Boo was reported to have compared "bumiputeraism" with state apartheid . On 1 February 2015, Swiss academic Tariq Ramadan reflected on how non-Muslims have been treated as second class citizens. He stated, "I'm sorry but some of your fellow citizens in this country who are not Muslims are facing this discrimination, they are facing injustices." In 2006,
8536-465: The system of "Malaysian model meritocracy" for university admission. Admission to public universities was not based upon a common examination such as the SAT or A-Levels , but rather upon a two parallel systems of either a one-year matriculation course or a two-year STPM ( Malaysian Higher School Certificate ) programme. Bumiputera compose an overwhelming majority of entrants to the matriculation programme. It
8633-764: The use of fish aggregating devices instead of explosives). Medical health centres ( puskesmas ) and schools have also been built even for stilt-house Sama-Bajau communities. Similar programs have also been implemented in the Philippines. With the loss of their traditional fishing grounds, some refugee groups of Sama-Bajau in the Philippines are forced to resort to begging ( agpangamu in Sinama), particularly diving for coins thrown by inter-island ferry passengers ( angedjo ). Other traditional sources of income include selling grated cassava ( magliis ), mat-weaving ( ag-tepoh ), and jewellery-making (especially from pearls ). Recently, there have been more efforts by local governments in
8730-587: The use of quotas in the granting of scholarships, positions in the civil service, and business licences, as well as native reservations of land. Policies under the rubric of the NEP include subsidies for real estate purchases, quotas for public equity shares, and general subsidies to bumiputera businesses. Former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad have both suggested that Malays should depend less on government assistance. Many observers believe full abolition of bumiputera privileges
8827-409: The vessels are believed to have a spirit known as Sumangâ ("guardian", literally "one who deflects attacks"). The umboh are believed to influence fishing activities, rewarding the Sama-Bajau by granting good luck favours known as padalleang and occasionally punishing by causing serious incidents called busong . Traditional Sama-Bajau communities may have shamans ( dukun ) traditionally known as
8924-719: The written records of other Europeans henceforth; including in Sulawesi by the Dutch colonies in 1675, in Sulawesi and eastern Borneo by Thomas Forrest in the 1770s, and in the west coast of Borneo by Spenser St. John in the 1850s and 1860s. Sama-Bajau were often widely mentioned in connection to sea raids ( mangahat ), piracy , and the slave trade in Southeast Asia during the European colonial period, indicating that at least some Sama-Bajau groups from northern Sulu (e.g.
9021-472: Was derived from the Sinama word for a mooring pole , sambuang or samboang . The origin myths claiming descent from Johor or Gowa have been largely rejected by modern scholars, mostly because these kingdoms were established too recently to explain the ethnic divergence. Whether the Sama-Bajau are indigenous to their current territories or settled from elsewhere is still contentious. Linguistically, they are distinct from neighbouring populations, especially from
9118-582: Was highest among the Sama Dilaut, followed by more land-based Sama. But it was also detected among other ethnic groups that do not self-identify as Sama in Palawan , Zamboanga , Basilan , Sulu , and Tawi-Tawi . The epic poem Darangen of the Maranao people record that among the ancestors of the hero Bantugan is a Maranao prince who married a Sama-Bajau princess. Estimated to have happened in AD 840, it
9215-476: Was in southern Sulawesi. Their ethnogenesis is estimated to have dated back to around the 4th century AD by an admixture event between the Bugis people and a Papuan group. The authors suggest that the Sama moved to eastern Borneo at around the 11th century AD, and then towards northern Borneo and the southern Philippines at around the 13th to 14th centuries AD. They hypothesize that they were driven to migrate during
9312-438: Was struck from the final draft. After the 13 May Incident in 1969, representatives within the government argued over whether the special position of the bumiputera should have a sunset clause . Ismail Abdul Rahman argued that "the question be left to the Malays themselves because ... as more and more Malays became educated and gained self-confidence, they themselves would do away with this 'special position'." Ismail believed
9409-511: Was taken captive and married to the Sultan of Brunei instead. The escorts, having lost the princess, elected to settle in Borneo and Sulu rather than return to Johor. This legend is popular among Sabah Sama-Bajau as it legitimises their claim to "Malay-ness" and strengthens their ties to Islam, which puts them in a favourable position in the Bumiputera laws of Malaysia (similar to the usage of
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