Mheans ready to play bigger role after upgrading
Published on: Saturday, November 15, 2014
.jpg "Mheans ready to play bigger role after upgrading")
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Native Affairs Council (Mheans) is ready to take up more responsibilities and duties to further protect native interests when it is gazetted as a department on January 1, 2015.The upgrade of Mheans' status into a Sabah Native Affairs Department was announced in the State Budget 2015 tabled by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman on Nov 7.Mheans President Mohamad bin Alamin said about RM21.52 million was also allocated for the Council's administration expenses, under next year's budget of the Local Government and Housing Ministry, when Mheans functions as a department.
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"The upgrading of Mheans into a department is an honourable recognition given by the State Government under the leadership of Musa which showed his commitment and serious concern about elevating the Sabah native institution to another level."We are truly grateful and fully appreciate the Chief Minister for recognising the financial needs of Mheans in the State Budget 2015, including allocating funds for our administration expenditures," he said.Mohamad, who is also Bongawan Assemblyman, said this in a press conference at his office at Wisma Tun Fuad Stephen, here, Friday. Also present was Mheans Director Datuk Ahmad Shah bin Mohd Talip.With the upgrading, he said Mheans will increase its manpower not only at the headquarters here but also at all districts that have native courts for better implementation of duties and responsibilities.
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"By becoming a department, we pledge to ensure our main objective to have one Native Court for one district in the State.
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"What we aim to achieve is for each district to have its own Native Court building that could cater to the needs of natives in many aspects under the State Native Enactment 1992," he said.In light of this, Mohamad said Mheans has received a total State funding of RM68 million, of which RM33 million was allocated for the construction of Sabah Native Court Training Institution (ILMAN) at Kg Kibabaig, Penampang, to be completed end of next year.As for the remaining RM35 million, he said the funds are used to construct six native courts with each one at Penampang, Tuaran, Keningau, Kudat, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.Nonetheless, he said there is a plan to build native courts in several districts that have been identified like Membakut, Ranau, Beluran and Tawau, for which the applications for funds had been submitted to Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to be considered."We are actually in the midst of setting up several special committees to handle and look after specific purposes as part of our preparation for next year when Mheans becomes a department."For instance, there will be a special committee to review all existing native laws in Sabah and there will be a special committee for management purposes."Another one is a special committee of financial and investment that will also be set up as Mheans has many assets. Hence, it is important for us to think forward and see how we could generate economic revenue from our existing assets including the upcoming completion of ILMAN," he said.Mohamad said Sabah natives and Bumiputera are very fortunate as their interests and rights are protected under Article 161 (especially for native rights) and Article 153 (Bumiputera rights) of the Federal Constitution."As a President of Mheans, I have high hopes to see the status and reputation of the native institution uplifted and the Native Courts at par with the Civil and Syariah Courts as Native Courts. After all, are also recognised by the Federal Constitution.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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