A Dept to handle native affairs
Published on: Monday, December 29, 2014
AS 2015 approaches, another memorable year full of incredible news and remarkable achievements as well as disappointments comes to an end.The year started quite brightly following the revival of the idea of a tribunal on NCR land put forward by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum to resolve NCR land issues.Unfortunately, the idea had yet to fruition and the pros and cons of communal grants dominated the news.ADVERTISEMENT The Native Court institution, on the other hand, received more attention with the announcement by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that he Sabah Native Affairs Council (MHEANS) will be upgraded to a department next year.Additionally, the council received State funding of RM68 million to construct the Sabah Native Court Training Institution (ILMAN) and six native courts in Penampang, Tuaran, Keningau, Kudat, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.On the downside, news emerged about some 100 natives in Pitas claiming they were tricked into converting to another religion by a group of people who promised them money if they agreed to sign the letters, confirming their consent.The natives, who were largely illiterate, were led to believe they were going to receive monetary assistance from the Government. Each adult received RM100 while children were given RM50.ADVERTISEMENT They, however, insisted they would remain with their old even though, formally and institutionally, their religious status had changed.Such stories continued to crop up especially in the social media, drawing flak from the largely Christian natives in the State. Even those in the neighbouring Sarawak were not spared.
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The difference is that Sarawak's leaders, especially its Land Development Minister Tan Sri James Masing, were united in one voice to condemn the aggressive attempts and said such groups had no respect for other people's religious beliefs.Another native issue that sent shock waves was the plight of several thousand villagers from three villages – Kg Malinsau, Kg Wayan and Kg Sinurai – who were evicted after the land they were living on was sold to a private company by the landlord.Groups of individuals, NGOs and politicians jumped at this chance to voice out their support either for the villagers or the new landlord, which happened to be a private company from the Peninsular Malaysia.The case was hotly debated in the State Assembly sitting after a small group representing the villagers showed up at the Assembly's gate, begging for intervention from political leaders.Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman took the opportunity to explain the Government's stance on land matters especially when it comes to privately owned properties.In the end, the villagers lost their case in court. They also failed to obtain a stay of court's order and as of today, the fate of the thousand men, women and children are in limbo having nowhere to go and no one to turn to.But who could forget the ongoing circus when the peninsula opposition DAP was first to notice the disappearance of the words "Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin" on the Oath Stone in Keningau?Even the Democratic Action Party (DAP) advisor Lim Kit Siang descended onto the Interior to suggest that each village in the State should erect a replica of the original Oath Stone, complete with the erased "Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin" inscription.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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As a result, Sabah DAP, led by its Native Consultative Council Chairman Edwin Bosi, erected two Oath Stone replicas each in Inanam and Pensiangan.However, this did not happen without incidents as some KDM leaders voiced their objections on the ground that Oath Stone should not be politicised nor should the replicas be erected outside of Keningau as such action would reduce the significance of the original Oath Stone.