‘Non-Muslims should oversee their affairs'
Published on: Tue, May 13, 2025 Text Size: Daniel proposed several reforms, including renaming and restructuring the Native Affairs Council and Department to reflect their true role in safeguarding indigenous customs and appointing qualified indigenous professionals, not political figures, to lead these institutions. Kota Kinabalu: Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation President Daniel John Jambun called on the State Government to reform the Native Court to ensure it receives the same legal recognition and institutional support as the Syariah and civil courts. He criticised the lack of progress in strengthening the Native Court despite five years under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration. 'What reforms have been made to professionalise the Native Court or the Department of Native Affairs? The answer, unfortunately, is none,' he said in a statement. He pointed out that previous efforts to reform the court under the Warisan-led government were halted after the 2020 change in leadership. 'Native Affairs, which governs the customs and legal traditions of Sabah's non-Muslim indigenous communities, is currently managed by Muslim officials with little expertise in indigenous laws. 'This is unfair and unconstitutional. The Syariah Court is run by qualified Muslim professionals, yet non-Muslim natives are denied the same autonomy over their own customary laws,' he said. He cited Sarawak as a model, where the Majlis Adat Istiadat Negeri Sarawak operates independently, free from interference by civil or Syariah courts. Daniel proposed several reforms, including renaming and restructuring the Native Affairs Council and Department to reflect their true role in safeguarding indigenous customs and appointing qualified indigenous professionals, not political figures, to lead these institutions. Additionally, he proposed elevating the Native Court to equal standing with the civil and Syariah courts under Sabah's judicial system and forming an Independent Reform Commission to review and modernise the Native Court. 'We are not asking for special treatment. We are demanding the equality promised under the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),' he said. He said further delays would only deepen discrimination and erode indigenous rights. 'This is not a partisan issue, it is about justice, dignity and upholding Sabah's legal heritage,' he said, adding 'How much longer must our communities wait?' * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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