Renewing the Bornean Longhouse: Empowering the Rural Poor in Sabah, Malaysia through Architectural Intervention
Authors:   , Wong James Kein Peng 
Published: November 2021

<p>Despite the fact that Malaysia has undergone independence for some 50 years, and the country as a whole has boomed economically to be one of the strongest in South-East Asia - why are there rural kampong regions particularly in Sabah still living in stagnant poverty compared to nearby urban settlements, and the growing disparity between the rich and the poor? Sabah has and is undergoing severe forms of poverty in the various forms it comes by, in comparison with other Malaysian states. These forms of poverty include economic regional and ethnic disparities with the poorest of the poor seen especially in the rural areas; deficit in basic infrastructure and education; communities lacking the political voice within the federal government especially in the area of addressing poverty where it is needed most; and growing deforestation as detrimental to these peoples’ way of life in the name of ‘national progress’. This sets the tone for exploring alternative ways to develop the state’s economy in a way that is sustainable and empowering. There is no denying that we live in a capitalist era where economic drivers and development are at the forefront of political affairs and is a dominant factor for getting things done. It is therefore essential that for there to be true and broad community empowerment; economically advantageous solutions need to be found to actually implement a lesser dependence on unsustainable development practices. This research also suggests in using strategic Tourism development as a political vehicle to provide impetus for such change, where particularly the Architect and architecture can play a significant role in. It suggests architectural principles that can be applied to a given Tourism scheme - specifically in Sabah - that can help tilt this exploding sector to benefit and empower these poverty stricken communities, yet make smart business sense. Case studies are presented to illustrate how various Pro-poor Tourism initiatives in other countries have in some ways been successful, and in some ways not, and how recurring issues can be mitigated in Sabah’s context through architectural intervention. As a design proposal, this research shows how ‘The Bornean Longhouse’ is a perfect piece of architecture that provides the foundation for integrating all these strategies mentioned, as well as the fact that it provides a marketable Tourism niche product for potential long-stay visitors. It is a piece of architecture that embodies the deep rooted values of these fading indigenous culture that if renewed – will bring a sense of cultural empowerment and pride back to these peoples. It also acts to provide an architectural solution to reinforce and empower these communities in light of dying traditions to an individualistic global culture; potential economic benefit through a more sustainable and evenly-distributed solution to economic growth; plus having the political support through the heavily backed Malaysian Tourism industry to explore a broad and effective empowerment scheme.</p>