Kota Kinabalu: A letter allegedly terminating the services of all community leaders, including native chiefs, has sparked confusion and anxiety among the people, said DAP’s Kapayan assemblyman Jannie Lasimbang
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Lasimbang, who is also the Sabah DAP women’s chief, claimed the letter was signed by state secretary Safar Untong on Oct 2 and based on a state Cabinet decision the day before.
As a result, she contended that all community leaders, including community development chiefs, heads of village community management councils, district chiefs, native chiefs and village heads, have been relieved of their duties.
“This action to terminate all ketua adat (native chiefs) will cripple not only the Native Court system but also all communities in the rural areas,” she said in a statement.
“It has created unnecessary anxiety and will definitely inconvenience Orang Asal communities, especially those who need to conduct native marriage registrations, engagements, native court cases and arbitration at the village level.”
Lasimbang said it was irresponsible of the newly formed Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government to interfere in the native court system.
She said any replacement of Orang Asal leaders should respect native law and go through consultation with the native affairs council and the state native affairs department.
“The decision is also questionable because the full Cabinet had not been sworn in at the time of termination and the portfolio responsible for native affairs had not been decided,” she said.
While the previous Warisan Plus government had also replaced village chiefs, she said, it was done in stages and the selection process was made through the local authorities, chaired by the district officer or city council president, with clear criteria.
In the meantime, native court personnel continued to operate to ensure a smooth transition in the native court.
Likewise, Lasimbang said, the Chinese and other urban communities were also bound to suffer with the termination of the services of kapitan or Chinese community leaders.
“I urge the GRS government to give them due respect by honouring these leaders individually with a dignified termination notice and appreciation for their service. All payments due to them should also be made in full as soon as possible,” she said.
“I challenge the GRS government to hold local government elections for all local community leaders whose services they have just terminated.
“This will prove whether they are better than the previous Warisan Plus government.”
