“Are They Making Fun of Us?” The Politics of Development in Sabah, Malaysia

This paper explores the ideological context of rural development in Sabah, Malaysia. Drawing on ethnographic data of state practices and discourse, and local reactions to state policies, I discuss events surrounding a rural development initiative. I conclude that development in Sabah serves as the primary point of entry for the federal government into village politics. Thus, if development does not necessarily raise the local standard of living, it facilitates the expansion and entrenchment of the ruling elite – the United Malaysia National Organization (UMNO). In effect, development serves to... Mehr ...