Sikie: Drafting of amendments to Majlis Adat Istiadat Ordinance in progress

Datuk John Sikie Tayai

KUCHING (May 25): The drafting of amendments to the Majlis Adat Istiadat Ordinance 1977 and Native Customs (Declaration) Ordinance 1996 is in progress, says Minister in Premier of Sarawak’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai.

Once the amendments are finalised, they would be tabled in the next State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.

He said the amendments were necessary to keep in tandem with the social development and social changes that have taken place since 1977, and the restructuring of the Native Courts of Sarawak.

Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak was established as an office in 1972, to preserve, codify and promote Adat of the natives of Sarawak. In 1974 the Majlis was established as a Unit under the then Jabatan Ketua Menteri.

Sikie said Adat are very important to the natives of Sarawak in respect of, among other things, their identity, rights, privileges, cultural, heritage, and sense of belonging to Sarawak.

“Adat are equally important for the regulation of social, economic, and political relations or affairs, governance, rights, and obligations in most native communities in Sarawak.

“There are many social, economic, and political relations, rights, and obligations in the native communities which are not regulated by state law.

“These matters are peculiar or unique to the native communities, and are specifically regulated by Adat,” he said in his winding up speech yesterday.

Despite the importance of Adat to the natives of Sarawak, Sikie however said the Adat, which are social rules, fall outside the roles and functions of the council (Majlis) at the moment and hence, are not binding and enforceable in any court of law and do not fall within the scope and jurisdiction of native judiciary or native legal system.

However, he said the Adat were still very important for social upbringing, social engineering, and socio-cultural relations in terms of good conduct and behaviour in the native communities.

After 50 years of its establishment, Sikie said that Majlis Adat Istiadat would now embark on corporatisation.

“The primary aim is to upgrade the council and to establish an institute of research and learning of Adat. This would allow the council to conduct research, organise teaching and provide accreditation in Adat,” he said.

The teaching and accreditation would provide qualification and competency for those who aspire to serve as judges as well as practitioners in the Native Courts of Sarawak.

Thus, to build up the capacity and competency of the Institute, the council may organise research and teaching of Adat by itself or in collaboration with local or foreign institutions.

He said the work on corporatisation was still in its preliminary stage and until it is fully materialised, the council would remain as a Unit under Jabatan Premier Sarawak.

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