Legal Visibility and Governance in Island-Chain Survival Patterns among Maritime Mobile Communities-Field Observations in Semporna from an SDG Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71222/za237024Keywords:
maritime communities, marine governance, legal visibility, sustainable development, island environmentsAbstract
Maritime mobile communities, particularly the Bajau people, face unique socio-legal and environmental challenges in rapidly developing coastal regions. Using Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia, as a primary field site, this study investigates the precarious status of these populations within island-chain environments. We analyze their living conditions and governance structures through three critical perspectives: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), marine regulatory technology, and legal visibility. Our findings reveal that current marine management frameworks actively perpetuate systemic inequalities through selective institutional inclusion and spatial discrimination. Specifically, economically lucrative zones such as tourist areas, commercial markets, and primary navigation routes are swiftly identified and rigorously regulated. In stark contrast, the fundamental needs of mobile communities—including adequate housing, reliable water supply, electricity access, and proper waste disposal—remain severely marginalized and fail to achieve equivalent institutional prioritization. Furthermore, while the establishment of protected areas and tourism infrastructure has increased the regulatory visibility of certain marine spaces, it has simultaneously encroached upon and severely limited the spatial domains available for traditional fishing practices and maritime mobility. Consequently, we argue that the implementation of SDG 6, SDG 12, and SDG 14 in such contexts must transcend a singular conservation logic. Policymakers must prioritize holistic ecological protection, equitable infrastructure provision, and the formal institutional recognition of mobile populations to ensure genuine livelihood security and sustainable development.References
1. M. Bavinck, R. Chuenpagdee, S. Jentoft, and J. Kooiman, Eds., Governability of fisheries and aquaculture: Theory and applications, vol. 7. Springer Netherlands, 2013.
2. H. Lefebvre, "From the production of space," in Theatre and performance design, pp. 81–84, Routledge, 2012.
3. J. C. Scott, *Seeing like a state: How certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed*. Yale University Press, 2020.
4. E. Ostrom, Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press, 1990.
5. E. W. Soja, Seeking spatial justice, vol. 16. U of Minnesota Press, 2013.
6. J. C. Torpey, The invention of the passport: Surveillance, citizenship and the state. Cambridge University Press, 2018.
7. B. X. Lee, F. Kjaerulf, S. Turner, L. Cohen, P. D. Donnelly, R. Muggah, ... and J. Gilligan, "Transforming our world: implementing the 2030 agenda through sustainable development goal indicators," Journal of Public Health Policy, vol. 37, Suppl. 1, pp. 13–31, 2016.
8. L. K. Van Bets, M. A. Lamers, and J. P. van Tatenhove, "Collective self-governance in a marine community: Expedition cruise tourism at Svalbard," Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 25, no. 11, pp. 1583–1599, 2017.
9. M. Hussain and S. H. Bhatti, "A review article on an appraisal of maritime laws as a mechanism of community governance for sustainable development goals," Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–10, 2023.
10. V. C. Ramenzoni, "Co-Governance, transregional maritime conventions, and indigenous customary practices among subsistence fishermen in Ende, Indonesia," Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 8, Art. no. 668586, 2021.
11. M. Nursey-Bray and C. Jacobson, "‘Which way?’: The contribution of Indigenous marine governance," Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 27–40, 2014.
12. M. Parsons, L. Taylor, and R. Crease, "Indigenous environmental justice within marine ecosystems: A systematic review of the literature on indigenous peoples’ involvement in marine governance and management," Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 8, Art. no. 4217, 2021.
