Scrap 'Lain-lain' column and specify race, says Pairin
Published on: Monday, January 19, 2015
Papar: Sabahans, especially natives, can just scrap the "Lain-lain" (others) column in official government forms and specify their race or ethnic group in that column, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.He said this is appropriate as it will provide clarity on the applicants' race and avoid confusion.He said this when commenting on the decision of the Federal Cabinet meeting on the Bumiputera status classification in Sarawak to three main majority races in the State in official government forms, with immediate effect.
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Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Adenan Satem was on Sunday reported as saying that through the efforts of Ministers from Sarawak such as Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah and Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, the indigenous groups such as the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu were no longer called "others" in the column for race in government official forms."They can now write Bumiputera Iban, Bumiputera Bidayuh, Bumiputera Melanau and Bumiputera Orang Ulu in the column for race," he said.He stressed that if the word "Lain-lain" appears they should just cancel it.Commenting on the move, Pairin said it was a logical and rational move, which showed the noble intention and mindset of the Sarawak leaders.
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"Actually, we can also do like that (getting the Bumiputera status classification in the official government forms)…but what has been mentioned in Sarawak that if the word 'Lain-Lain' appears in the race column, just cancel the word and put your race or ethnic group in that column. "It is all up to the person who is filling up the forms. There is no need to talk more. We (in Sabah) should just also scrap the 'Lain-lain' word and replace it with own respective race or ethnic group…just do that," he said.
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Pairin, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President, said this to reporters after officiating the PBS Christmas Open House and Welcoming New Year 2015 programme at Kg Tampasak, Kinarut, here, Sunday.According to Pairin, scrapping the word 'Lain-lain' (others) in the race column and replacing it with the exact race or ethnic group in the official forms would also serve as valuable information for data collection purposes.Meanwhile, Api-Api Assemblywoman Christina Liew said the Sabah State Government should emulate its counterpart in neighbouring Sarawak in scrapping the "Lain-lain" (others) column in official government forms. "One of the duties of our native leaders in the Barisan Nasional is to ensure that our natives are accorded with their proper identities. Sarawak is leading the way already.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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