Bugis and Javanese are not indigenous, hence can’t be natives

KOTA KINABALU - The plain fact is that the Bugis and Javanese are not indigenous and so are not included within the definition of native in the Federal Constitution.

The president of Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (STAR), Datuk Dr. Jeffrey G Kitingan, made this assertion in his statement here, in response to the now hot and viral issue of the state of Sabah considering to include the Bugis and the Javanese under the definition of “Native”.

The Keningau MP and Tambunan assemblyman pointed out that in Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, “in relation to Sabah”, “Native” is defined as “a person who is a citizen, is the child or grandchild of a person of a race indigenous to Sabah, and was born (whether on or after Malaysia Day or not) either in Sabah or to a father domiciled in Sabah at the time of the birth.

“The critical phrase in the definition is ‘a person of a race indigenous to Sabah’,” he said. “Hence, because Bugis and Javanese, being people who are NOT indigenous to Sabah, cannot be natives!

“In fact by the definition of Malaysian’s supreme law, indigenous and native is the same and should be interchangeable. However, because the meaning of native has long been modified in the minds of Sabahans, the name has taken on a much looser definition, which is any Bumiputera including immigrant groups which came only recently. In fact it has often been the case that Muslim immigrants from neighbouring countries in the Southeast Asian region, once naturalised in Sabah, legally or illegally, could immediately assume the status of Bumiputera.

“They then could enjoy the many benefits normally accorded to sons of the soil, including becoming voters and taking up political leadership. However, becoming natives is a much further step,” said Dr. Jeffrey who is also the deputy president of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association. “Let’s not forget that the Bugis are natives of Sulawesi and Javanese are natives of Java. Do they want to be natives of two different countries? There is a solid reason why the two races were not included into the list of Sabah natives. They cannot qualify to be natives just because they were here before the formation of Malaysia.

“Should an Indian from India who is now a citizen of the United States claim to be a native of America on the same status as the Red Indians?” Dr. Jeffrey asked. “And if the Bugis and Javanese can be natives, why can’t the Chinese and Indians have the same status as well because they were here earlier? The simple rule is that peoples who have come from elsewhere outside Sabah, including their progenies, cannot be natives!”

He described the sudden step to ‘nativise’ the Bugis and Javanese as a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction that has no rationale or foundation. His stance is that in dealing with the matter we all need to stick to the provisions of the Federal Constitution.

“By raising this contentious and possibly incendiary issue, the people have become even more convinced that there is a grand conspiracy to edge out the indigenous peoples of Sabah towards becoming a minority group.