Serian Member of Parliament Datuk Richard Riot wants Article 161A (6) and 161(7) of the Federal Constitution amended to include 'Bidayuh' and 'Iban'.
"The word 'native' in the Sarawak context under Article 161A (6) means 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 both races.
"Listed under Clause (6) are the indigenous people of Sarawak -Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans,Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyags (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs(including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjoings and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians,Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits," read Riot.
He questioned the missing 'Bidayuh' and 'Iban' under the same clause.
"Where are we? Where am I as a Bidayuh? Where is Kapit Member of Parliament (Alexander Linggi) as an Iban?" asked Riot in Parliament yesterday.
He therefore wanted the name 'Bidayuh' and 'Iban' to be included in the Article for fear the two races might just "disappear from the surface of the earth".
Riot brought up an example set by (Sarawak) State Legislative Assembly for making the necessary amendment by replacing the terms 'Land Dayak' with Bidayuh and 'Sea Dayak' with Iban.
"The terms 'Land Dayak' and 'Sea Dayak' were used during the colonial era, and the State Government had made the necessary amendment in the Sarawak Constitution," said Riot.
On the same debate, he narrated the case of not only Marina Undau's but also Lymee James', who was born to an Iban-Bidayuh father and a Chinese mother.
He said that Lymee, like Marina, scored 9A 1B in SPM but his application for a matriculation programme was turned down because he was not considered a Bumiputera (native).
"I am not a lawyer, but according to the law of domicility, if the father is a Chinese, the children will be Chinese. If the father is a Malay, the children will be Malay. If the father is Iban, the children will be Iban. If the father is a Bidayuh, the children will be Bidayuh," said Riot.- Eastern Times
"The word 'native' in the Sarawak context under Article 161A (6) means 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 both races.
"Listed under Clause (6) are the indigenous people of Sarawak -Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans,Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyags (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs(including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjoings and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians,Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits," read Riot.
He questioned the missing 'Bidayuh' and 'Iban' under the same clause.
"Where are we? Where am I as a Bidayuh? Where is Kapit Member of Parliament (Alexander Linggi) as an Iban?" asked Riot in Parliament yesterday.
He therefore wanted the name 'Bidayuh' and 'Iban' to be included in the Article for fear the two races might just "disappear from the surface of the earth".
Riot brought up an example set by (Sarawak) State Legislative Assembly for making the necessary amendment by replacing the terms 'Land Dayak' with Bidayuh and 'Sea Dayak' with Iban.
"The terms 'Land Dayak' and 'Sea Dayak' were used during the colonial era, and the State Government had made the necessary amendment in the Sarawak Constitution," said Riot.
On the same debate, he narrated the case of not only Marina Undau's but also Lymee James', who was born to an Iban-Bidayuh father and a Chinese mother.
He said that Lymee, like Marina, scored 9A 1B in SPM but his application for a matriculation programme was turned down because he was not considered a Bumiputera (native).
"I am not a lawyer, but according to the law of domicility, if the father is a Chinese, the children will be Chinese. If the father is a Malay, the children will be Malay. If the father is Iban, the children will be Iban. If the father is a Bidayuh, the children will be Bidayuh," said Riot.- Eastern Times
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