Contextualisation of Human (In)security at the Sarawak-West Kalimantan Borderland

Abstract

Borderland areas separating the state of Sarawak (Malaysia) and West Kalimantan (Indonesia) have long been a security concern for the Sarawak State Government. In general, such areas emerge as cross-border crime scenes, where many cases are constantly reported to the relevant security authorities. Despite the perseverance of Malaysia in enhancing border security, particularly that of the Sarawak state government, a discourse centred on state-centric security on people’s security issues in the affected area remains lacking. Border communities are rarely asked about matters of personal safety which can shed some light on the depiction of borderlands as insecure regions threatening human security. Although calls to secure national borders are evident, the perspectives of border communities are often discounted. This paper aims to highlight the importance of an empirical study in understanding human security from a spatial context of a borderland. By analysing the perceptions of people residing close to the border, this study contextualises human (in)security focusing on border community narratives and experiences and reflects on how borders impact people’s daily life. The analysis thematically underlined the value of including people’s collective experiences gathered through focus group discussions (FGDs) among the border communities of Danau Melikin, Serian, Sarawak. The findings offered insights into the population’s mental state and contributed to the current understanding of human (in)security from a bottom-up perspective. Accordingly, the study reported that people’s perception of threats and fear resulted from cross-border threats, where the profound effects related to human security threats were mostly influenced by border vulnerabilities. In this vein, the border as a ‘space’ was essential in influencing insecurity among the border communities of Danau Melikin, Serian.