Fed Govt banishing Sabah bumi races

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said Malaysia’s identity as truly Asia will be tarnished since the present Government is not recognising the rights of Malaysians born in Sabah from mixed-marriage.

 

Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun said the status of those born from native and Chinese parents as sino-dusun, sino-bajau, sino-kadazan and so on had been recognised ever since the colonial era.

 

“It was granted special standing by the then Government, thus the birth certificate of these mixed-marriage children was specially spelled out as such,” he said.

 

It was also endorsed by the Native Court established on Feb 13, 1953 as well as law of Sabah under Interpretation of Native Ordinance Cap. 64 (1952), he said.

 

However, it is a sorrowful fact that the present Government was not recognising this special privilege and instead it was now known as “sino-native”.

 

“Worst still the National Registration Department is forcing the parents to select either one of their race to be written down in their children birth certificate.

 

“This is an act tantamount to banishing one’s race,” said Majimbun.

 

SAPP also questioned the reasons for the Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s move that erodes the special rights of the sinos in Sabah, which had been recognised for so long even during the North Borneo era.