The purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction between the development policy of the
Sarawak government and the indigenous people in rural areas, by observing the mobility of ruralurban
migrants. Over the last decade or so, the Sarawak government has been promoting various
kinds of development schemes in rural areas, and the indigenous people, who are politically
and economically marginalized, seem to act in compliance with the government policy for the
purpose of securing development funds. Some scholars have criticized this kind of passive compliance
as a “subsidy syndrome.” However, closer observation of the voting behavior of the
indigenous people reveals that they strive to maximize their own interests, albeit within a limited
range of choices. What is noteworthy is the important role played by rural-urban migrants in
rural development. They frequently move back and forth between urban and rural areas, are
leaders in the formation of opinion among rural residents, and help obtain development resources
for their home villages. Examining the mobility of urban migrants during election periods is
useful for reconsidering the dichotomy between development politics and the vulnerable agricultural
community, and also urban-rural relations