Physical and non-physical elements in the identity formation of border communities in the East Coast of Sabah, Malaysia

Boundary studies have often focused on physical elements - such as barbed wires, observation towers, walls, mountains, rivers, maps, or trees - as identity markers in distinguishing ‘we’ who are inside from ‘others’ who are outside of a border. This material approach is only telling half of the story of border formation. A more holistic view, especially with regard to identity formation among border communities, would necessitate that we understand border formation from non-physical perspectives too. This article seeks to explain how physical and non-physical elements of boundary construction are mutually crucial in understanding the identity formation of a Malaysian border community in the East Coast of Sabah. Based on the findings from field observations and in-depth interviews with 18 key informants from eight kampongs in the study area, this study discovers that while Malaysia is separated hundreds of miles by sea from neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia, the Malaysian nationals in the East Coast of Sabah tended to engage in the discourse of ‘sameness’ when identifying with their non-Malaysian neighbouring counterparts. This was in contrast with the discourse of ‘difference’ prevailing at the national level. With this discourse of ‘sameness’ the border communities were able to live in peace and harmony with each other.