'Wong failed to give a proper explanation'

Kota Kinabalu: Chief Judge at the Kota Kinabalu Native Court Datuk Yeo Boon Hai said the testimony given by former Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) Chief Wong Sze Phin @ Jimmy Wong in regard to his native certificate was found to be unclear and doubtful. For this, the court has unanimously declared the native certificate issued to Wong as not valid, he explained.

"The decision came about after the Native Court found that Wong has failed to proof the authenticity of his native certificate.

"The testimony given by the respondent (Wong) during the hearing was found unclear and doubtful by all the presiding judges on Thursday," he said in a statement, Friday.

He said Wong's testimony during the hearing had cast doubts among the panel of judges comprising himself as well as native chiefs Karim Ujud and John Anthony.

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On March 28, 2012, state Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor told the state assembly that Wong's native certificate would be revoked because an investigation had found that he was not qualified to claim bumiputra status.

Although Wong had claimed to have Kadazandusun ancestry, Hajiji said the investigation found this to be untrue.

He said Wong's birth certificate showed that his parents were Chinese. The native certificate was issued to Wong in 1981 after Wong's application was approved by the Native Court of Kota Kinabalu in April 2010.

However, several assemblymen brought up the issue in the State Assembly pointing it out as a fake and the certificate was eventually declared by the Local Government and Housing Ministry as null and void right after State Budget was tabled in 2011.

Wong, however, challenged the Local Government and Housing Ministry to prove his native certificate is fake and in 2012 sued six seeking RM150 million in damages over statements made regarding his native ancestry.

Wong was the Sri Tanjong Assemblyman then.

Meanwhile, Wong remains unfazed by the decision to declare his native certificate invalid.

The Kota Kinabalu MP said on Friday he is appealing against the decision.

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"I am confident justice will prevail," he said.

A native court official said Wong, the former state DAP chairman, could ask the Sabah Native Court of Appeal to review the decision. The Native Court of Appeal is chaired by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum.

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