Musa (centre) flanked by Hajiji (left) and Zakaria witnessing the oath taking ceremony by the conference participants led by Sandakan District Chief OKK Haji Awang Damit.
SANDAKAN: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman urged the Sabah Natives Affairs Council (MHEAINS) to take more proactive steps to establish a database on native laws and customs in the state in order to further strengthen the Native Court institution.
He said MHEAINS should look into forging cooperation with higher learning institutions and related bodies to set up the database, which could also include information of cases handled by the Native Courts in the state and judgements.
At the opening of the biennial Conference for Sabah Customary Chiefs at Four Points Hotel here yesterday, he said the information was crucial for reference by other Native Courts when handling similar cases in the future.
“I also request cases to be decided efficiently and swiftly so that the people will be satisfied with their service,” he said.
Musa said the Native Court institution in Sabah was still relevant hence the government would be focusing on the improvement of its system and administrative aspects.
This was reflected by the ground-breaking ceremony of the Native Court Training Institute (ILMAN) in Penampang by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last year as well as the plan to build six more Native Courts throughout the state.
The Chief Minister also called on the customary chiefs, including district chiefs and native chiefs to continue to be the government’s eyes and ears and mouthpiece.
“The customary chiefs are the implementers of the government policies who have an important role to assist the government in preserving unity and identity of the people,” he said.
He said it was also the community leaders’ duty to make sure all the development programmes reached the target group.
In this respect, the Chief Minister was puzzled with claims by the opposition leaders that there was no development in Sabah and because of this they pitied the people in the state.
“Are they blind or deaf? This is actually an insult to the customary chiefs who have been working hard with their respective elected representatives to bring development to their constituencies,” he said.
“I want to tell them not to teach the duck how to swim … we have brought about so much development, especially when Najib became the Prime Minister.
“Like it or not, he is a very good and attentive Prime Minister who is sensitive to Sabah’s needs,” he said.
Musa added that despite claims by the opposition that Sabah is a poor state, the State Budget continued to be the biggest every year unlike the Pakatan-led Selangor state government.
“From being the most developed state in the country, Selangor now is going backward. They can’t even afford to give water to its people,” he said, adding that in Sabah, the BN government was not only looking after the welfare of the present but also future generation.
He said the State Government had stopped logging activities in more than 300 hectares of land as well as implemented programmes to replant high-value trees, all for the benefit of the future generations.
According to Musa, investors, especially giant companies were willing to come to Sabah and poured in millions of ringgit because they were confident with the state’s political stability.
“I cannot be too angry at the opposition because it is their duty to object but they have no choice but to lie and make up issues simply because there are none,” he said.
Musa also reiterated that the opposition was chanting ‘change the government’ but when he looked at their leaders, they were actually ‘recycled’ leaders.
He said the leaders in the government did not have time to look for people’s fault because “we are busy working.”
“What is important is that it is up to us to explain to the grassroots that they must make the right choice in order for development continuity provided by the government of the day, the BN government,” he said.
“We need to remind the grassroots not to be easily hoodwinked by the opposition … I know all of you know that the opposition is only telling lies and making empty promises,” he said.
Meanwhile, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor said the biennial conference was held outside of the state capital this time to provide opportunity to customary leaders to view how developments provided by the BN government could change certain areas.
He said about 400 customary leaders from all over the state are taking part in the conference where nine working papers would be tabled.
He said it was imperative for the community leaders to be able to respond to all allegations made by opposition in villages.
Also present was Anak Negeri State Council of Affairs’ President Datuk Zakaria Edris.