KUCHING, 27 Nov: Sarawak Government has streamlined the criteria and processes for individuals seeking recognition as natives under the Interpretation (Amendment) Ordinance 2022.
Minister in the Premier’s Department Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai highlights the two avenues for attaining native status, with the first involving an application before the Resident Native Court as per the Native Courts Ordinance, 1992.
“It is a lengthy process and the applicant must fulfill certain conditions and requirements provided for under the Native Courts Rules, 1993 such as proficient in the language or dialect of that native community and he practises or conforms to the customs and culture of that native community that he wants to be identified with,” he said in his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly, today.
The second method is through the Interpretation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 which came into effect on 1st November, 2023.
“This is to ensure that they are suitable, reasonable and practical as compared with the conditions, requirements and processes under the previously mentioned Native Courts Rules, 1993,” he added.
Among the conditions that applicants must satisfy to be recognised as a native include the Applicant must be a Malaysian citizen, a natural born child of a native of Sarawak and one of the Applicant’s parent is a native of Sarawak.
“The Applicant is also required to submit their application at any District Office throughout Sarawak,” he said.
Meanwhile, applications for newborn babies can be made by one of his natural parents.
“I wish to inform that the conditions, requirements and processes for application to be deemed as a native before the Resident Native Court under the Native Courts Rules, 1993 still apply to a non-native child adopted by native parent(s) and also to an application for non-native spouse(s) of a native person,” Sikie said.
Previously in 2022, the Sarawak DUN unanimously passed the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 2022, which, among others, considers a child from a mixed marriage a native even if only one of the parents is a native. -TVS
