Consider This: “Sakai” | Unpacking a Contested Term (Part 1)

The term “Sakai” has resurfaced in public debate after being used to insult Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Nor. Rights groups have condemned the comment as hate speech and demanded the term be abolished. But an Orang Asli student association is pushing back, warning that erasing the word from official use could threaten legal protections tied to indigenous land rights and identity. Instead, they’re campaigning to reclaim the term through the #ProudSakai movement. Can “Sakai” be reclaimed as a symbol of pride? Or should it be erased from our vocabulary altogether? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Kamal Solhaimi Fadzil, Head of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, at Universiti Malaya. He’s also the Head of UM’s Centre for Malaysia Pribumi Studies.