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POTENTIAL OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES:A POSSIBILITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?41surrounding natural resources; their distinct social,economic, or political systems; their distinct language,culture, and beliefs; their being non-dominant groupsin society; and their resolve to maintain and reproducetheir ancestral environments and systems as distinctivepeoples and communities.The term “indigenous” has actually been commonlyused for many years. However, others includingminorities, aboriginals, tribes, first peoples or nations,ethnic groups, ethno-linguistic groups, adivasi(Indigenous peoples of India), janajati (Indigenouspeoples of Nepal), and the like, have been preferred bysome. Occupational terms like hunter-gatherers,nomads, pastoralists, or peasants; and geographicalterms like hill and valley peoples, highland dwellers,and the like also exist. For all practical purposes, theseterminologies can be used interchangeably with“Indigenous peoples”.In Malaysia, the Indigenous peoples refer tothemselves as Orang Asal. They comprise the OrangAsli of Peninsular Malaysia and the natives of Sabahand Sarawak. Numbering about four million andconstituting about 15 percent of the nationalpopulation, they consist of more than 80 ethnolinguisticgroups. Based on the 2005 State/DistrictData Bank of the Department of Statistic of Malaysia,of the respective state’s population, the Orang Aslicomprise about 0.6 percent, the indigenous groups inSabah about 60.7 percent, and those in Sarawak, 69.1percent.“Bumiputera” which means “princes or sons of thesoil” is another term often used when referring toIndigenous peoples in Malaysia. It refers to Malays,natives, and aborigines or Orang Asli. The MalaysianConstitution defines an “aborigine” or Orang Asli onlyas “an aborigine of the Malay Peninsula”; but theAboriginal Peoples Act 1954 states that an aborigine isa person whose parents are both aborigines, or has oneparent, male or female, who is or was, a member of anaboriginal ethnic group, speaks an aboriginal language,and habitually follows an aboriginal way of life, itscustoms and beliefs. In Sabah, a “native” is a citizen,child, or grandchild of a person of a race indigenous toSabah, born either in Sabah or to a father domiciled inSabah at the time of the birth. Under state laws,however, it is possible for a person who is not born anative to be deemed a native, by applying to the nativecourt. The native status may likewise be attained byvirtue of residence, assimilation into the culture of anative community, good conduct, and language. A“native” in Sarawak is an indigenous person who isborn of parents who are both natives.The Orang Asli, translated as “original peoples” or“first peoples”, are the indigenous minority inPeninsular Malaysia. It consists of three main groups:the Negrito, the Senoi, and the Aboriginal Malay(Proto-Malay) which are further divided into 19various ethnic subgroups–Negrito: Kensiu, Kintak,Jahai, Lanoh, Mendriq, and Bateq; Senoi: Semai,Temiar, Jah Hut, Temoq, Chewong, Mah Meri, andSemaq Beri; and Aboriginal Malay: Temuan, Semelai,Orang Kanaq, Orang Kuala, Jakun, and Orang Seletar.These subgroups have varied ways of life. Most livewithin or close to forested areas where they engage inswidden farming, and hunting and gathering activities.Those that live near the coast are mainly fisherfolk.Some are engaged in agriculture and manage their ownfarms planted mainly with palm oil, cocoa, or rubber.They also trade in forest products such as rattan,resins, rabong, fruits, and other products for cashincome. A very small number are still semi-nomadic inorder to take advantage of the seasonal bounties of theforest.The indigenous communities of Sabah speak morethan 50 languages and 80 dialects. The Dusinic,Murutic, and Paitanic groups make up the larger of theethnic groups. Each of the main groups consists ofseveral ethnic groups — Dusun: Bisaya, Dumpas,Kujiau, Kadazandusun, Kimaragang, Lotud, Rungus,Tatana, Tinagas, Tobilung, and Gana; Paitan: AbaiSungai, Kolobuan, Lobu/Rumanau, Tampias Lobu,Tombunuo, Makiang, Segama, and Sinabu; andMurut: Ambual/Nabai, Baukan, Kalabakan, Kolod/Okolod, Paluan, Selungai, Sembangkung, Serudung,Tagal/Tagol, Tidung, and Timugon. The other groupsare Banjur, Bajau/Sama, Begahak/Ida’an, Brunei/Kedayan, Bonggi, Bugis, Chavacano, Cocos, Iranun,Melayu Sabah, Molbog, Tausug/Suluk, Wolio, andYakan. These ethnic groups occupy distinctgeographical areas of settlement. The Dusunic groupoccupies western, northern, and central Sabah. It is themost dominant group. The Murutic group,meanwhile, resides in the southwest interior of Sabah.The Paitanic group resides in the northeastern part.The Rungus group dominates the northern part ofSabah. The Bajau and Malayic groups predominantlyoccupy the coastal area. The diversity in Sabah in termsof climate, landform, soils, and vegetation provides adiverse agro-ecosystem for the many indigenousThe Work of the 2010/2011 API Fellows