While my knowledge on these and many of the Indonesian, SE Asian forms is admittedly quite limited, from discussions over the years here, it seems that the concept of 'notching' signifying some sort of tally for heads taken is a rather 'perceived' western notion . It is the same for the brass filled holes in the blade.
Actually the brass filled holes seem to correspond in some degree to this practice in many ethnographic settings; in Arab/Mamluk swords there were often a number of brass or gold filled holes in the blade which are believed likely to be talismanic for good fortune and power to the wielder . This same type of practice is found in North Africa as well as in Europe in degree in varying cases, actual meanings unknown.
As far as the notches in the back of the blade, these of course are believed significant symbolically though not in a tally sense. It seems these occur in many SE Asian dha, and in my own experience, the same type lines, sometimes diagonal, are tribally aligned (in one I had which was traced to a Hmong tribe in a Laotian context, Montagnard from Viet Nam, 60s).
Headhunting itself was of course outlawed in the early 20th century, but naturally old traditions may remain in degree in more remote regions.
The idea of regional attribution with any degree of certainty is a very slippery slope indeed with ethnographic arms, though one might find a certain proclivity of form or decoration to a defined area. There are I believe some good images in the Holstein reference from 1930s (cant recall the title offhand, but Im sure the much more informed group here who collect these can help out).
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