Masidi: Strict vetting of applications for native status

KOTA KINABALU: Stringent conditions on the process and issuance of hearing applications for native title for children of mixed parentage must be set to prevent abuse.

Amid calls to lift the ban on native certs for Sino-natives (children of Chinese and native mixed parentage) in Sabah, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said there are many factors that need to be considered before anything can be done.

He said this ban was implemented following calls from the native Sabahans themselves in the 1980s, after alleged abuse of the process of issuing these certs.

“The state government did not come up with this ban itself, but rather it was implemented after calls from natives and thorough consideration,” he said after an event here yesterday.

Masidi said various parties and stakeholders must sit together to see whether now was the right time to lift the ban and if so, how to prevent abuse.

“We must put in place more stringent conditions throughout the whole process,” he said.

Previously, Sabah Sino-Kadazan Dusun Murut Association president Datuk Johnny Goh called on the government to lift this ban which has been in place since 1982.

Before the ban was implemented, Sino-natives could claim native status (as bumiputra) and enjoy special rights such as acquiring native lands and opening an Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

The then Berjaya state government stopped issuing these Sino-native certs after many non- indigenous persons began fraudulently obtaining them (most believe through bribery) to acquire bumiputra benefits.

On whether Sabah has now taken a step backwards compared with Sarawak, which had recently passed a Bill allowing children of mixed marriages to be considered natives of the state if either of their parents is one, Masidi said no.

He said in Sarawak’s case, they never had this issue before because only children whose parents were both native were considered bumiputra.

He said Sarawak had never faced abuse of the native certs or Sino-native certs because Sarawakians who are of mixed parentage were never considered natives until the Bill was passed in February.

“They have to change their enactment to now allow children of mixed parentage to get native status, which is different from what Sabah faces,” Masidi said.