BINTULU, Sept 4: The Sarawak government will upgrade and structure the Native Courts so that they are recognised as and respected on par with the Civil Court and the Syariah Court.
According to a report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), the early step towards achieving that target materialised through a workshop on the handling of Sarawak Native Court cases among North Zone Community Leaders.
Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai said the main objective of the workshop was to expose participants to the process and procedure of handling the court cases correctly as stipulated under the Native Courts Rules 1993.
“For the newly appointed community leaders and village chiefs (KMKKs), exposure to the correct rules and procedures when holding court case hearings is important.
“Afterwards, we will propose the matter at the Cabinet meeting to be enforced as the Sarawak Native Courts,” he said when officiating at the workshop held at Fairfield by Marriot Bintulu Paragon on Thursday (Sept 1).
The Native Courts have been in existence since the Rajah Brooke era and continued after the State gained independence from the British in 1963.
Also present was Native Courts Sarawak chief registrar Datu Michael Dawi Alli. — DayakDaily
