Sabah native courts to be on par with civil, syariah courts this year, says Hajiji

Hajiji (second right) presenting a certificate to Kiulu District Chief OKK Kumin Gampai

KOTA KINABALU: If all goes according to plan, Sabah's native courts will be equal to the civil and syariah courts in the state this year, says its Chief Minister.

Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the proposed Sabah Native Court Judicial Department would be set up by this year.

"The proposal for the setting up of the Sabah Native Court Judicial Department is to dignify the native laws and give prestige to the Ketua Adat (customary chiefs) in the court," he said on Wednesday (Feb 14).

"A special committee had been set up through the Sabah Native Affairs Council (MHEANS) to formulate, amend and revise related enactments and ordinances," added Hajiji during the closing of the Leadership Transformation course for Ketua-Ketua Adat at the Bajau Samah Cultural Centre, Kampung Lok Batik in Tuaran, some 40km from here.

A total of 258 Ketua Adat, comprising three District Chiefs, 20 Native Chiefs, 40 Native Chief Representatives, 194 village heads and a Kapitan from Pantai Dalit, Sulaman, Tamparuli and Kiulu, took part in the course.

In another event in Tuaran, the Chief Minister called on Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) members to play their role as government agents and representatives.

"Those appointed should not only think about getting projects and refusing to go down to the ground or refuse to cooperate and sidelining those who are not supportive of the government.

"The JKKK chairman and committee members must be sensitive to the problem of everyone in their areas and must be ready to relay information on government assistance to the people," Hajiji said at the ceremony to present appointment letters to JKKK chairmen and committee members for Sulaman and Pantai Dalit.