Perkahwinan Campur Kedatuan-Idahan dan Hubungannya dengan Perkembangan Islam di Lahad Datu, Sabah.

History records that intermarriage between Datu from the Sulu Island with Idahan women has occurred since the 17th century. The result of intermarriage between the two had given birth to heirs known as Kedatuan-Idahan. This paper discusses the history of Kedatuan and intermarriage in Sabah, which contributed to the strengthening of Islamic identity among the people of the east coast of Sabah. This study involves data collection using qualitative methods based on textual content analysis and in-depth interviews with selected key informants in several villages of the Idahan community in Lahad Datu. The study results show that the intermarriage between a Datu from the Sulu Island and an Idahan woman has produced an heir with a kinship relationship with the Sulu sultanate. This kinship relationship strengthens the dominance of the bird's nest economic activity, which is in high demand from Chinese traders. The findings of the study also show that carrying the title of Datu and Dayang at the base of the heir's name to the Kedatuan further strengthens the Islamic identity among the people of the east coast of Sabah. The study also found that the Kedatuan-Idahan intermarriage impacted the Idahan community's political position in the Darvel Bay area and contributed to the early settlement of the Muslim community on the east coast of Sabah. The role of Kedatuan also explains the importance of their position as Muslim religious leaders in the Lahad Datu district and their involvement in the Cobbold Commission until the formation of Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]