Sabah RCI: KK MP's Native Certificate mentioned

KOTA KINABALU: A Royal Commission of Inquiry on the illegal immigrants in Sabah panelist yesterday questioned the facts presented by one of the conducting officers in a case referring to races in the state.

Tan Sri Herman Luping, who sits among the five panelists in the on-going RCI hearing yesterday asked conducting officer Jamil Aripin on the source of his facts on the sub-races of the Kadazandusun or Dusun or Kadazan.

“I would like to point out that Kapazan is not a sub-race but rather the name of a place in Penampang, because Kapazan is where I come from. So is Liwogu, Kanavaan, Ponulangon and Paus.

“If you said I am an orang Kapazan (Kapazan people), I would agree because I come from that place. This is wrong, so please get your facts right,” said Luping.

Jamil was questioning the last witness for the day, the Sabah Native Affairs administration officer Norhayati Abd Majid, to highlight on the races which are classified as ‘natives’ in Sabah.

He then forwarded a fact sheet that was derived from several sources through research by Norhayati’s department, the State Museum, KDCA (Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association) Resource Centre, Benedict Topin, Rayner Francis Lidung, P. S Shim, KDCA District coordinating committee leaders, Bobolians and the KDCA Council of Elders.

Former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, who led the five-man panel, later ordered Jamil to verify the facts.

“Also call one of them to verify and explain the facts listed as sub-race in the sheet,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the proceeding, Norhayati told the House that in the case of mixed-marriages between a Kadazandusun and another race that is not listed as ‘native’, their child can be granted the native status pending the approval from the Native Courts.

She also disclosed that to her knowledge, no native status had been issued after the State Cabinet froze its issuance on Apr 22, 1982.

Norhayati believed that several may have been issued after the date.

The House was also told of a case referring to the status issued to Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Jimmy Wong Sze Phin, which was brought into question during the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, adding that a special task force was set up to carry out investigation on the case.

“His native status has yet to be revoked but the task force officers have submitted the result of their investigation to the District Native Court for further action,” she said.

She also noted that there had been some sort of fraud in the issuance of the native certificate in the sense of the applicant’s place of birth.

“Many would say that they were born in Sabah, but in actual fact they were born elsewhere,” she said.

A total of 87 witnesses have been called up. The RCI hearing resumes on Monday.

by Sandra Sokial