Many natives of Sabah and Sarawak have long complained, in increasingly shrill if not exasperated voices over the years, that the federal government relegates them to the dubious category of 'lain-lain' (others) in official forms.

They are categorised alongside three other officially-recognised groups - Melayu, Cina and India (for Indian sub-continentals except for Sri Lankans who are also 'lain-lain').