It is more commonly attributed to indigenous people of the Malay race belonging to the seven ethnic groups, namely: Brunei, Tutong, Belait, Dusun, Murut, Kedayan and Bisaya.
[1][2] The local term rakyat jati refers to citizens of indigenous descent, in particular the aforementioned seven ethnic groups.
Indigenous Malays comprise the following ethnic groups: Meanwhile the indigenous people other than the Malays are defined in the First Schedule of the Act to comprise the following ethnic groups: Being accorded the status of rakyat jati ('indigenous citizens') in Brunei carries with it certain benefits and opportunities which other non-indigenous citizens may not have access to.
"[5] The justification for these special privileges and affirmative action schemes is that the bumiputera or the indigenous people face disadvantages due to the success of other groups in society, for example the Chinese.
[7] According to Minority Rights Group International, the non-Muslim indigenous people are continuously "banned" from conducting non-Islamic religious activities, and "pressured" and "incentivized" to convert to Islam.