Sarawak passes Bill allowing children of mixed marriages to be recognised as natives

KUCHING: The Sarawak state assembly has passed a Bill allowing children of mixed marriages to be considered natives of the state if either of their parents is one.

The Interpretation (Amendment) Bill was approved by the legislature on Tuesday (Feb 15) after a short debate.

Assistant Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations Minister Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said the Bill provided a "significant and historic" amendment for children of mixed marriages, which were common in Sarawak.

"With this amendment, a child will be considered a native as long as either parent is one. There is no longer a requirement that both parents must be a native of Sarawak," she said when tabling the Bill.

She added that the amendment would resolve the legal predicament faced by children of mixed marriages between native and non-native parents in matters of inheritance and transfer of native land.

The Bill also updated the list of indigenous people in the schedule of the Interpretation Ordinance by adding 12 others: Bagatan, Bakong, Bemali, Berawan, Dali, Lakiput, Jatti Miriek, Narom, Sa’ban, Tatau, Tring and Vaie.

Sharifah Hasidah said this was in line with the recent amendment to Article 161A of the Federal Constitution empowering Sarawak to determine the races regarded as indigenous to the state by application of state law.

"This proposed amendment also includes a new Section 63 that empowers the state Cabinet to amend the schedule in the event of any future addition to the races listed in the schedule," she said.

To guard against exploitation and abuse, Sharifah Hasidah said the state Cabinet would come up with additional conditions and requirements for a person to be recognised as a native of Sarawak.

She said this was in addition to existing requirements that the person must be a citizen and a natural-born child of a native of Sarawak.