The nomadic Bajau Laut people have lived on the coast of Sabah in Malaysia for centuries as sea-dwelling nomads. But without official status they face evictions and lack of access to basic services. Now, new amendments to the country's citizenship law could create greater barriers to their legal recognition.
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00:00In these pristine waters of Sabah, Malaysia, lie the wreckage of a community forced to
00:07flee by the authorities.
00:10These patches of wood, all that's left of the stilt homes of hundreds of sea nomads,
00:16now living in limbo after what authorities say was a crackdown on cross-border crime.
00:21The Bajau Laut are an indigenous seaborne community that have lived between eastern
00:37Sabah and the southern Philippines for centuries.
00:40Known for being able to dive underwater for long periods of time, they rely heavily on
00:45the sea for sustenance.
00:48But because of their nomadic lifestyle, the Bajau Laut are considered by Malaysia as migrants,
00:53so they don't automatically get citizenship or even resident status.
00:58Without such papers, many in the community live in poverty, with little access to education,
01:05health care, or financial services.
01:25Legal recognition would help people like the Bajau Laut access state services, education,
01:30and land formal jobs.
01:33But for them, the path to Malaysian citizenship isn't an easy one.
01:38For many in the community, the demolition of their homes last June serve as a grim reminder
01:43of how unwelcome they are.
01:45And now, their situation could only get worse, as the Malaysian government will be reducing
01:51the window for stateless people like the Bajau Laut to apply for citizenship.
01:56A process that already takes years to accomplish and requires a birth certificate, something
02:01most Bajau Laut don't have.
02:04It has also lowered the age limit for applicants from 21 to 18 years old.
02:09And further, children of one stateless parent and one Malaysian citizen or permanent resident
02:14will no longer automatically be given citizenship.
02:18Human rights activists have denounced the amendments as regressive, and are demanding
02:22the government compensate by providing basic needs.
02:46The Malaysian government says they are doing all they can to help the Bajau Laut, and will
02:51resettle the community to another coastal area in Sabah.
02:55But as forced evictions continue, and citizenship now seemingly further out of reach, Malaysia's
03:01Bajau Laut are uncertain about their future.
03:05And they'll likely remain so, until a concrete systemic change is made.
03:10Joseph Wu and Gino Lopez for Taiwan Plus.