I spent a few days in Sabah state. When they joined Malaysia, they agreed on broad autonomy and other perks. But things didn't quite work out that way, and the center only selectively honors those agreements. A region with major oil reserves gets just 5% commission from oil production (the rest goes to the state-owned Petronas) and remains one of the poorest in the country.

Besides Malays, many local tribes live here. Compared to Chinese and Indians, their situation is slightly better, but they face challenges too.

The local tribes weren't always friendly though. Not so long ago, they hunted people, and a random traveler could be killed before even reaching a settlement. Only by the early 20th century did the British manage to put an end to these bloodthirsty customs.

Today, tourists are drawn to cultural villages like Mari Mari. It's all done really well: tribe members are on display, they tell you about their customs, and they even let you try traditional food and drinks. Nobody actually lives in the tribal way anymore—it's just a job people do for money. But they do capture the atmosphere well.