Think carefully Before Amending Article 161a

By All Means...We Will Preserve Article 161A

Since last week so much has been discussed about article 161a of the Federal constitution which touch on the defination of native of Sarawak. It was started when Marina a student of SMK Simanggang whose father was Iban and mother a Chinese failed to continue her study in Matriculation and UiTM . Her plight was highlighted in the local newspaper and one of a popular portal, the  Malaysian Mirror.

Article 161a(6) The Native of Sarawak

In this Article "native" means-

(a) in relation. to Sarawak, a person who is a citizen and either belongs to one of the races specified in Clause (7) as indigenous to the State or is of mixed blood deriving exclusively from those races; and

(b) The races to be treated for the purposes of the definition of "native" in Clause (6) as indigenous to Sarawak are the Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans, Kalabit, Kayans, Kenyags (Including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans,. Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs dan Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits.

Based on the above defination, a person only can be categorised as native if  both of the parents are from the indigenous as describe in paragraph (b) above.

Marina is not a Native

Based on the defination of the native above, the Ministry of Higher learning was correct in rejecting Marina application for enrolment to Matriculation program and UiTM as she was not a bumiputera or native. The Ministers should not blame the officer that rejected her application.

Articles 161A means to protect the native

Article 161A, just like the 18 Points Agreement for Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia, its main purpose is to protect the native from losing their identities and the  rights/privileges which the native entitles to as provided by article 153 of the Federal Constitution. If we look at the Federal Constitution, our past leaders were far more farsighted and intelligent than our current leaders. Compared to the later, our current leaders only know how to betray us. One example is how they supported  Tok Uban and his cronies to amend the land Code  , and the abolishment of the word Sea Dayak/Land Dayak from Sarawak constituition. And because of their stupidity, I am not surprised that one day we, the Iban and Bidayuh will lose our previlieges as a native of the Malaysian Federation.

Sarawak Ministers Not Aware About Article 161A.

Most of the assemblymen and ministers from Sarawak, based on their response to Marina problem were not awared about Article 161A. The native ministers and Assemblymen, whose children are affected by the article 161A  are Joseph Salang, James Jemut Masing, Harden Hollis, Taib Mahmud and many more. Joseph Salang according to the newspaper report this morning, had indicated that he will write a letter to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Muhyiddin Yassin to amend article 161A immediately. You see how selfish this Deputy Minister was?

Lesson Learned.....Please preserve Article 161A

As Conclusion DO NOT AMEND ARTICLE 161A to Protect the Native

Marina and the rest of the children from the  mixed marriages between the native and non-indigenous of Sarawak should acted  as a point lesson for the native of Sarawak. Most of the educated natives nowadays prefer to marry a non-native, especially the  "white girl" and also the Chinese. Without article 161A, we will definitely lose our identity , and the most  dangerous thing  the native will be manipulated by the people mentioned above.

To the dayak leaders who had shown their concerns on article 161A, should now concenrate  on  more important matters that affected the dayak such as the NCR land, the equal treatment/development between west Malaysian Malay and the native and so on.

 

Mupok aku

 

"Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban"