Cabinet nod not needed to drop 'lain-lain': Junaidi

Kuala Lumpur: The scrapping of the term "lain-lain" in the race column in government forms is an administrative move that does not need to be presented to the Cabinet.Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic) said the move also did not need to be tabled in Parliament.

He said he was one of the many who had advocated the change, citing a meeting he chaired in Sarawak with a government agency.

"They presented a paper to me showing figures of the races – Malays 3,456, Chinese 345, Indians 28, while 'lain-lain' was 5,623. Before commencing the meeting, I made a long speech on the figures…and surely, the group 'lain-lain' is certainly worth mentioning. I mean what about the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu?"

Wan Junaidi said he did not know whether the change would be carried out nationwide but he described the case of Sabah and Sarawak as a political move.

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"The reason is clear-cut and obvious, as the number of those classified as 'lain-lain' far exceed the Chinese and Indians put together."

Earlier last year, there were disputes over removing the race column from government forms.

Later, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak clarified that it would be maintained as it would help the Government to monitor the development of each race.

Meanwhile, in Alor Star, the State Government was told to take the cue from Sabah and Sarawak for the sake of the Siamese community.

Representative of the Siamese community in Dewan Negara Senator Datuk Boon Som Inong, said the term 'lain-lain' was equivalent to "alien". He said there were more than 42,000 Malaysians of Siamese origin in Kedah.

"I raised the issue during the Parliament sitting in 2013. It is time to scrap the term from any kind of government document.

I don't want the Siamese community to feel alienated and the government should give the matter due to consideration and follow the Sabah and Sarawak governments' moves."

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Boon said there should be a blank space for the race column and the person filling the form must state his ethnic group.

The Sabah and Sarawak state governments have decided to remove the term "lain-lain" in the race column of government forms.

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