SOME 150 Sabah natives today marched in protest over a proposal to recognise people of Indonesian origins as natives.

Armed with banners, the group that calls itself Hak Asal Rakyat untuk Sabah (Harus) demanded that Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal sack Sabah Law and Native Affairs Minister Aidi Mokhtar, who had broached the matter of giving the Bugis and Javanese people living in Sabah native status.

Harus vowed to hold more protests if its demands are not met. 

Its chairman Joseph Philips said Sabahans may be known for their tolerance but they will not stand by and allow the government to erode the special rights of the Sabah indigenous communities.  

“We are gathered here because we are dissatisfied and concerned over the minister’s statements. 

“Although he had denied saying those words, the state government has given no assurance that it will not carry out the study,” he said at the Double Six Monument in Sempelang, Kota Kinabalu.

“What if they were to suddenly approve the inclusion at the state assembly? The Sabah public would not even know of it,” he told reporters 

Last week Aidi told the Daily Express that the state government would look into listing the Bugis and Javanese as Sabah natives as they could not otherwise be appointed village chiefs.

Aidi later clarified that he had not proposed such a thing but had merely said that a study might be conducted on how to make them village chiefs.

Joseph said there is enough evidence to show that the Bugis and Javanese in Sabah were migrants of Indonesian origins who had multiplied in Sabah. 

“We  want Aidi to do the honourable thing and step down. 

“Aidi is himself a Sabah indigenous person and therefore aware of his special rights; how could he have made such a proposal?” he said. 

Harus deputy chairman David Orok said the purpose of the protest was to become enemies with the Javanese and Bugis communities. 

“We are not enemies of the Jawa and Bugis. We have lived together for many years in harmony, but the minister is trying to change the status quo and has riled up and provoked the indigenous people,” he said. 

Orok said as a result of the minister’s proposal, the Sino-natives (natives with half Chinese parentage) are now demanding to be recognised as natives. 

He said the protest was held at the Double Six site as a reminder of the fallen Sabah heroes who were  indigenous people like former Sabah Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens, Peter Mojuntin, Darius Biniun and Salleh Sulong. 

He said these leaders would not be happy about the proposal if they were still alive. – February 9, 2019.