Suhakam hails Native Titles
Published on: Saturday, August 11, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) praised the new State Government for taking positive steps to ensure that the natives have access to land ownership through the issuance of individual Native Titles.The Commission believes the concept will safeguard and preserve the rights of the natives of which these individual titles cannot be charged, transferred or assigned to new party, with the exception of the owners' children. According to Heflin Dino (pic), the Commission's Sabah Office Deputy Secretary, Aug 9 is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples and the State Government through the recent announcement on the abolishment of the Communal Title has truly given the natives a collective resolution that will benefit them.
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"All are aware that the UNDRIP is legally non-binding, but the document is a universal benchmark that outlines norms and principles to guide the Government's interactions with indigenous peoples. "By abolishing the Communal Title, the State Government has at least started to endorse and implemented the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)," he said in a statement.Heflin noted that one key principle of the UNDRIP is "free, prior and informed consent" that aims to ensure the protection, wellbeing and advancement of indigenous peoples. "This right is often violated by the previous administration as far as development projects and logging are concerned," he said.
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He stated that in the Commission Act 597 4(1)(b) functions and powers, the Commission will continuously work with the new State Government by giving advice and recommendations to safeguard the rights of the natives in Sabah. In addition to this, he said to prevent further marginalisation of indigenous peoples, it would be relevant for the State Government to implement the 18 recommendations of the Commission's National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly the recommendation to establish an independent Commission on Indigenous Peoples that was rejected by the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government, which will result in meaningful change on the ground for indigenous peoples.
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The Commission also calls for urgency to break the cycle of excuses of legal and policy studies that are often cited by government officers. On the establishment of the new Ministry of Law and Natives Affairs under Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal leadership, Heflin said the Commission recognises the Chief Minister's initiatives that will benefit the natives' rights in particular.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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