BAU: A total of 378 individuals here has been granted Native Recognition certificates from Nov 2023 to Sept 30, 2024, officially acknowledging them as Sarawak natives or Bumiputera.
Of the total figure, 129 recognitions were recorded from Nov 2023, followed by 249 more up to Sept 2024, indicating a steady increase in successful applications over the two-year period.
Bau District Officer, Eddy Nayoi, said the recognition process was carried out carefully by the Sarawak Native Recognition Committee (NRC) under the Administrative Unit in the Premier Department to ensure only qualified applicants were endorsed.
He said unlike now, whereby the applications are done through online since October 2024, the applications in 2023 and 2024 were generally done manually through the Bau District Office for those who reside in the district.
The recognition certificate is believed to be an important administrative step that helps individuals regularise their status and avoid complications in official matters such as schooling, documentation and public service applications.
Obtaining the recognition certificate may also enable recipients to access various socio-economic benefits, including eligibility for Bumiputera privileges in education, business opportunities, employment considerations, certain government assistance schemes and inherit native title land from their parents.
According to Service Sarawak website at https://service.sarawak.gov.my/web/web/home/sla_view/0/744/, a minor may apply through one of his/her parents/guardians.
It said the recognition as a Sarawak native is governed by Schedule to Section 3 of the Interpretation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 and the approving authority is by the State Secretary through Sarawak Native Recognition Committee (NRC).
To be recognised as a native of Sarawak, the person concerned must be a Malaysian citizen, a natural born child of a race indigenous to Sarawak, and one of his or her parents is a person of a race indigenous to Sarawak.
Application is to be done online through Sarawak Government Portal (www.sarawak.gov.my).
Applicant also needs to have SarawakID or to register his/her SarawakID. RM 100 will be charged for eligible application and it is non-refundable.
