Native land tenure, conservation, and development in a pseudo-democracy: Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

This article explores the interacting politics of native customary law, conservation, and rural development in Sabah, Malaysia. Drawing on the specific details of native property rights in a rural community and state conservation and agricultural development initiatives, this article delves into the inherent contradictions between the logic of conservation, commercial land development, and native land tenure regimes. Native smallholders in Sabah see their customary land tenure as remnant expressions of local autonomy, which has not been fully experienced since the advent of colonial rule at the end of the 19th century. Conversely, state-driven conservation and development plans, and the ways in which they adversely affect individuals' access to natural resources are viewed by villagers as the quintessential expression of the power of a centralized and undemocratic government. By probing at the intersection of these polarizing practices this article explores the relationship between the Malaysian state and agriculture-based villagers from the vantage point of access to and ownership of land and resources. The article concludes that Sabah's ruling elite benefit from the contradictions between conservation, development, and native land rights. It is to their advantage to maintain the status quo since political positions are not dependent on voter support in Malaysia's pseudo-democracy. Native people have tried to resist state control over their land tenure practices for over a century through de facto practices that undermine the intent of state rule. But these small-scale actions have not resulted in widespread changes. Therefore, the marginalization of native agriculturalists will continue until the time comes when Malaysia's pseudo-democracy transitions to an authentic democracy in which the interests of a broader section of society are a priority for the state.