Ethnic Groups of Sabah: 40+ Peoples, 80+ Languages

How many ethnic groups are there in Sabah?

Sabah officially recognises over 40 ethnic groups, with linguists and anthropologists documenting more than 200 sub-ethnic groups and dialects. Together, Sabah's communities speak approximately 80 distinct languages — making this Malaysian state one of the most linguistically diverse regions on Earth relative to its population of 3.4 million.

This is not a modern phenomenon. Sabah's diversity is the product of tens of thousands of years of Austronesian migration, indigenous community divergence across isolated mountain valleys and river systems, and centuries of maritime trade routes connecting Borneo to the Philippines, Java, China, and the Arabian Peninsula. The result is a living mosaic unlike anywhere else in Southeast Asia.

The 2024 population data from Malaysia's Department of Statistics (DOSM) estimates Sabah's Bumiputera population at 89.1% of the state total — the highest proportion of any Malaysian state. Within this Bumiputera population, the breakdown is: Kadazan/Dusun (31.7%), Bajau (26.5%), Murut (5.1%), and other Sabah Bumiputera (36.7%). Non-Bumiputera groups including Chinese, Malay, Indian, and non-citizen communities make up the remaining 10.9%.

The non-citizen population — estimated at 810,000 or roughly 23.7% of Sabah's total — is the highest of any Malaysian state and includes significant stateless communities such as the Bajau Laut, Suluk, and Filipino migrant workers.

Who are the major ethnic groups in Sabah?

Sabah's major ethnic groups can be broadly grouped by their historical origins and geographic distribution: indigenous highland and coastal peoples (Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, Rungus, Lundayeh), maritime peoples (Bajau, Bajau Laut, Suluk/Tausug), immigrant communities (Chinese, Malay), and cross-border communities (Bajau Laut, Suluk, Filipino).

Indigenous Peoples of Sabah

The Kadazan-Dusun — Sabah's largest indigenous group — are primarily rice farmers of the west coast and interior highlands. The Bajau span two very different worlds: the horse-riding "Cowboys of the East" on the west coast, and the sea-nomadic Bajau Laut of Semporna's waters. The Murut are interior forest peoples of the Tenom, Keningau, and Nabawan districts, known for the spectacular Lansaran trampoline dance. The Rungus, concentrated around Kudat at the Tip of Borneo, maintain some of the most intact traditional longhouse cultures in Sabah, famed for intricate beadwork. The Lundayeh (called Lun Bawang in Sarawak and Brunei) are a small but deeply Christian community in Sipitang, divided by colonial borders across three countries.

Maritime and Migrant Communities

The Suluk (Tausug) carry the historical legacy of the Sulu Sultanate — one of Southeast Asia's most powerful maritime polities — and remain concentrated on Sabah's east coast. The Chinese community, predominantly Hakka in origin, arrived from Guangdong province from 1883 onwards under the British North Borneo Chartered Company and built much of Sabah's agricultural and commercial economy. Sabah Malay (Melayu Sabah) is distinct from Peninsular Malay — many Sabah Malays have Bajau, Brunei, or Kadazan ancestry who adopted Islam and Malay cultural identity over generations.

Ethnic group population breakdown (2024)

Based on 2020 Census data and 2024 DOSM estimates, Sabah's population of approximately 3.5 million breaks down as follows:

Sources: Malaysia DOSM 2020 Census, DOSM Demographic Statistics Q3 2024, UNHCR Malaysia estimates. Note: Non-citizen populations (810,000+) are partially counted; actual figures may be higher for undocumented communities.

What languages are spoken in Sabah?

Sabah has approximately 80 distinct indigenous languages across four major language families. This makes it one of the most linguistically rich regions in Southeast Asia, comparable to parts of Papua New Guinea. The full language guide covers all major languages in detail.

What are the major cultural festivals by ethnic group?

Sabah's ethnic diversity means virtually every month has a significant cultural festival somewhere in the state. The calendar below covers the major recurring celebrations tied to specific ethnic communities.

What makes Sabah's diversity unique in Malaysia?

Sabah's ethnic diversity is qualitatively different from Peninsular Malaysia's. On the Peninsula, diversity largely means three major communities — Malay, Chinese, Tamil Indian — who arrived at different points in the colonial era. In Sabah, the diversity is pre-colonial, rooted in tens of thousands of years of indigenous divergence, and involves dozens of distinct peoples who have lived side by side since before recorded history.

Several factors make Sabah's case exceptional:

Linguistic richness: 80 languages in a state of 3.4 million is extraordinary by any global standard. Papua New Guinea has ~840 languages for 10 million people; Sabah's density approaches that level. The Sama-Bajau language family alone branches into dialects so distinct that West Coast Bajau and Bajau Laut speakers cannot fully understand each other.

Cross-border identities: Colonial borders cut through living ethnic territories. The Bajau Laut live across Malaysian, Filipino, and Indonesian waters. The Lundayeh are split between Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan. The Suluk/Tausug's historical homeland is the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines — yet hundreds of thousands live in Sabah. These are not immigrant populations but people whose ancestral territories pre-date the nations that now claim them.

Rapid change: Sabah's ethnic landscape is shifting faster than at any point in its history. Young Kadazan-Dusun are urbanising and shifting to Malay and English. Bajau Laut sea nomads are being forced onto land. Murut languages are being introduced in primary schools to prevent extinction. The 2024 Mabul Island demolitions displaced hundreds of Bajau Laut families from their over-water homes. What visitors see today is both an ancient culture and a community in the middle of profound transformation.

In-depth guides for each ethnic group

Each guide below covers the group's origins, population, language, traditional culture, food, festivals, and current situation — sourced from academic research, DOSM data, and Sabah government publications.

Frequently asked questions