Territorialization of maritime spaces and human insecurity: the case of the Bajau Laut in Sabah, Malaysia

This article critically explores the complex relationship between state-driven territorialization of maritime space and the human insecurity experienced by the Bajau Laut community in Sabah, Malaysia. As a nomadic and highly marginalized maritime people, many of whom are stateless or undocumented, the Bajau Laut increasingly find their traditional way of life under threat from state efforts to regulate and assert control over maritime zones. These efforts include a combination of security and non-security measures such as immigration enforcement, marine conservation initiatives and tourism-oriented development. While often justified in the name of protecting national sovereignty and ecological resources, these policies have in practice contributed to the displacement of the Bajau Laut, the erosion of their livelihoods and their continued socio-economic exclusion. Drawing on a human security framework, this article argues that state-centric and sovereignty-driven approaches to maritime governance risk intensifying the vulnerability of marginalized communities, especially the Bajau Laut. By critically analysing how territorial governance unfolds in Sabah’s maritime zone, it underscores the urgent need for a more inclusive and rights-based approach that prioritizes human well-being alongside national interests.