UPKO to hold seminar on land and native laws

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KOTA KINABALU: The Legal and Land Affairs Bureau of United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Organization (UPKO) will hold a seminar on land and native laws on Sept 22.

The seminar to be held at the Beverly Hotel here from 8am is expected to be declared open by UPKO president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and closed by Local and Government Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor.

According to the bureau’s chief, Senator Datuk Maijol Mahap, five working papers and three special talks will be presented.

Mahap, who is also the organising chairman, said the papers which will be presented are, ‘Ke Arah Menyelasaikan Masalah-Masalah Tanah di Sabah’ (Resolving land issues in Sabah) by him, ‘Ke Arah Memertabatkan Insitusi dan Undang2 Anak Negeri Sabah Dalam Sistem Perundangan Negara’ by former High Court judge Datuk Ahmad Syed Idid, ‘Ke Arah Menambahbaik Undang-Undang Anak Negeri Sabah’ by Juprin Wong Adamal, ‘Ke Arah Memertabatkan Mahkamah Anak Negeri Sabah’ by Datuk Haji Awg Sharin Alimin and ‘Ke Arah Memertabatkan Kedudukan Anak Negeri Sabah di Bawah Artikel 153 Perlembagaan Malaysia’ by Martin Idang.

He added that the special talks would include one on native customary rights to be delivered by IDS executive director, Hasnol Ayub, Communal title by the deputy director of Land and Survey Department, Lee Chun Khiong and the use of land on 25 degree slopes by a representative from the Agriculture Department.

“The objective of the seminar is to create public awareness of the problems and challenges faced by the land and native laws in Sabah. We also hope to come up with an action plan on how to overcome the problems as well as challenges,” Mahap said, adding that the seminar is to be held in conjunction with UPKO’s triennial delegates’ congress on Sept 23 to 25.

About 250 people, including UPKO leaders, PBS and PBRS leaders, lawyers, representatives from native associations, district chiefs and representatives from the relevant government agencies as well as departments are expected to attend the seminar.

“The summaries and resolutions derived during the seminar will be presented to the state Government for consideration,” Mahap, who is also Upko vice president, said.