SIBU, Sept 14: The Sarawak Native Court will be an independent judicial institution with autonomy once it has completed the restructuring process which is currently ongoing.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Bumiputura Law and Customs) Jefferson Jamit Unyat said the Native Court must be judicially independent to call for respect and for it to be on par with other courts such as the Civil and Syariah Courts.
He said the study on the restructuring of the existing Native Court conducted by the Sarawak government had been completed.
“The report submitted now is being studied and the next process is to get approval for the report including the ‘Master Plan for the transformation of the Native Court of Sarawak’ contained in the final report.
“Let’s all pray that the Sarawak government can implement the restructuring and upgrading of the Native Court in the near future,” Jamit was quoted as saying at the opening ceremony of the Kapit Division Community Leaders’ Workshop at a local hotel on Monday, Unit Komunikasi Awan Sarawak (Ukas) reported.
A total of 102 participants from the Kapit division attended the workshop which aimed to provide exposure in addition to improving the participants’ knowledge and efficiency in handling court cases, especially newly appointed community leaders.
The Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) or community leaders were also empowered to handle court cases at their respective levels by speakers from the Native Court.
Meanwhile, the Chief Registrar of Sarawak native Court Datu Michael Dawi Alli said a total of 2,713 pending cases are recorded in Sarawak Native Court throughout the State.
Elaborating further, he said most of the cases recorded involved the violation of ‘adat’ and civil disputes on the ownership of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
The Sarawak Native Court which is constituted under the Native Courts Ordinance 1992 as a State judicial institution, has been in operation for over 140 years in Sarawak.
It operates as a unit under the Premier of Sarawak’s Department with the function to hear and determine disputes between natives where judgment will be made based on native laws and customs.
Its other function is to hear and determine the applications of non-natives who wish to acquire native status. — DayakDaily
