KUALA LUMPUR – Children of mixed marriages between Sarawakian Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera or foreigners can look forward to getting Bumiputera status as Parliament is expected to pass constitutional amendments affecting their racial status this month.
Law minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this will be part of the proposed amendments of the federal constitution that require two-thirds’ majority support before they are passed.
He was quoted as saying by The Borneo Post that said the bill will be tabled in Dewan Rakyat for first reading on October 25 and second reading on October 28.
He added that this will affect children of mixed marriages who make up about 30% of the state population and the idea is modelled after Sabah’s Pribumi concept.
In a meet-the-minister session in Kuching today, Wan Junaidi gave examples of his children and other leaders such as Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing (whose first wife is Australian), Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and state Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Michael Manyin Jawong.
The law minister said the children could be allowed to buy native land after changing their status to Bumiputra.
“Obviously that can be done.”
He also cited an example where the mother is Chinese and father Iban, and the possibility of the child having a “Chinese native” status.
There have been plenty of cases of children of mixed parentage applying to inherit or buy native land. – The Vibes, October 16, 2021
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