KUCHING, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- A total of 5,790 applications for recognition as Sarawak Bumiputera have been received and considered by the Sarawak Bumiputera Recognition Committee (JPBS), said Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai.
He said that of the total, 5,186 applications were approved, with 1,835 applicants (35 per cent) recognised as Iban, 1,718 (33 per cent) as Bidayuh, 601 (12 per cent) as Malay and 336 (six per cent) as Melanau.
In addition, 199 applicants (four per cent) were recognised as Murut or Lun Bawang, 146 (three per cent) as Kenyah, 144 (three per cent) as Kayan, with the remainder coming from other communities, he said.
He said that since Jan 1 this year, all applications for recognition as Sarawak Bumiputera are made online through the Sarawak Native Recognition Application System (SARAS).
“On 26 June this year, the system was upgraded with an eligibility check function to ensure that only applications that meet the requirements are processed and submitted to JPBS for consideration,” he said during the winding-up session for the ministry at the State Assembly sitting here today.
On Feb 15, 2022, the Sarawak State Assembly unanimously passed the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which amended the Interpretation Ordinance, 2005 [Cap. 61] to include children born from mixed marriages as Bumiputera, even if only one of their parents is a Sarawakian.
Touching on the state waters, he said the Sarawak Coastguard (SC) continues to strengthen its maritime security capabilities, having carried out 158 operations this year to safeguard Sarawak’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
He said the operations involved enforcing maritime laws, including the Malaysian Fisheries Act 1985, monitoring encroachment activities and ensuring the safety of fishing communities along the state’s waters.
“SC currently operates 12 vessels of various classes for patrol, enforcement and search-and-rescue operations. To further enhance these efforts, three additional vessels are now in the acquisition process,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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