Orang Laut Recognition: Comparing State Approaches in Indonesia and Malaysia
The Orang Laut, traditional seafaring communities, face growing marginalization due to maritime development. While Malaysia uses a dedicated agency to provide formal recognition and support, Indonesia's fragmented approach leaves these groups politically invisible, highlighting the urgent need for institutional recognition and reliable data.
Highlights
- •The Orang Laut face increasing marginalization due to rapid maritime development in Indonesia and Malaysia.
- •Malaysia supports its indigenous maritime groups through the dedicated Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA).
- •Indonesia lacks a centralized national institution to manage data and support for its indigenous sea communities.
- •State recognition and proper data collection are critical for ensuring the survival of Orang Laut identity.
As modern maritime development projects expand across coastal regions, the Orang Laut—an indigenous seafaring community—finds itself increasingly marginalized. Long before national borders were drawn across the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, these groups served as the traditional guardians of these waters. Today, their survival and social standing are heavily influenced by the extent of state recognition in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Comparing State Recognition and Integration
The Orang Laut, often referred to as sea nomads, historically maintained a semi-nomadic lifestyle tied closely to maritime trade routes. While Indonesia and Malaysia share similarities in their historical approaches to integrating these populations, their methods of institutional recognition differ significantly. Both nations implemented programs during the late 20th century, such as Malaysia's RPS (Rancangan Pengumpulan Semula) and Indonesia's PKAT (Program Pemberdayaan Komunitas Adat Terpencil), aiming to settle these communities into permanent housing and foster modernization. However, these top-down initiatives often disregarded the unique maritime cultural adaptations of the people, leading to ongoing socioeconomic challenges.
The core disparity lies in administrative inclusion. Malaysia utilizes a dedicated department, the JAKOA (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli), to manage the welfare, education, and development of indigenous groups, including the Orang Seletar and Orang Kuala in Johor. This formal structure ensures these communities are documented and included in national development agendas. For instance, the Johor government allocated roughly RM3.87 million (approximately Rp17.37 billion) during the 2025 Hari Orang Asli Johor Festival to support education and infrastructure within these indigenous villages.
The Challenges of Political Invisiblity
In contrast, Indonesia lacks a single national agency specifically tasked with representing the rights and needs of indigenous communities like the Orang Laut. Responsibilities are fragmented across various ministries, complicating efforts to provide targeted support. A significant consequence of this lack of central recognition is the absence of reliable data. In the Riau Islands (Kepri), government agencies struggle to quantify the Orang Laut population, forcing researchers and civil society groups to fill the information gap.
While Lingga Regency passed a local regulation (Perda No. 4 of 2022) focused on empowering the Suku Laut, its broader impact remains limited. Without robust institutional recognition, the Orang Laut continue to face political invisibility, often excluded from the larger economic narratives surrounding the maritime sector. Johor serves as a potential model for other regions, demonstrating that official status and specialized agency support are essential steps toward protecting the identity and future of maritime communities, ensuring they are not forgotten amid the pursuit of the blue economy.
