Baru urges state government to document indigenous data for communities whose languages are critically endangered

KUCHING, May 13 2026: The state government, through the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre (SAIC), has been urged to work closely with indigenous communities and subject-matter experts, to begin systematically documenting and digitising indigenous data, particularly for communities whose languages are critically endangered.

Caption: Ba'Kelalan SLM Baru Bian says that Sarawak has the potential to become a global centre for research into indigenous customs, cultures and languages 

Ba’Kelalan state legislative member (SLM) Baru Bian said with the extraordinary diversity of indigenous communities, Sarawak has the potential to become a global centre for research into indigenous customs, cultures and languages.

He noted that Governor Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the opening of the state assembly sitting on Monday had rightly emphasized that Sarawak’s ethnic diversity, languages, customs and ways of life must be preserved and documented amid rapid modernization and tourism development.

He said he is aware that the Sarawak Consultation on Indigenous Data for the UN Data Governance Submission was convened, bringing together local and international experts in areas ranging from adat to artificial intelligence.

 “The consultation recognized that while Sarawak has made significant progress under the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy and the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, one critical area remains underdeveloped — Indigenous Data Governance,” he added.

He noted that the Indigenous Data Governance recognizes the rights of indigenous communities to own, control, access and govern data relating to their peoples, knowledge systems, customs, territories and resources, consistent with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

He said the “indigenous data” includes any information, in any format, concerning indigenous peoples, including their languages, cultural practices, genetic data, environments and traditional knowledge.

“However, before such rights can be effectively protected, the data itself must first be documented and preserved.

“The United Nations General Assembly published a study on The Right of Indigenous Peoples to Data, including Data Collection and Disaggregation.

“The study noted that artificial intelligence technologies, including machine learning and natural language processing, can assist in preserving indigenous languages, oral histories and cultural practices.

“At the same time, it cautioned that all digitization efforts must respect indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination, free prior and informed consent (FPIC), participation in decision-making, privacy, and intellectual property,” he said.