THE standardisation and review of major native customary laws, including drafts of the Adat Iban, Adat Bidayuh, Adet Kenyah and Adet Kayan, has entered the final stage before submitting to the State Attorney-General’s Chambers (SAGC).
Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai said the review exercises on Adat Iban 1993, Adat Bidayuh 1994 and the Adet Kayan-Kenyah 1994 are in the final draft.
“The Adat Iban draft was verified by all Temenggong of the Iban community during a verification session held in Sibu on Feb 27, 2026.
“The Adat Bidayuh draft was subsequently endorsed by Bidayuh community leaders in Serian on Apr 30, while the Adet Kenyah and Adet Kayan drafts received endorsement from their respective community leaders in Miri on Apr 15 and 16 respectively.
“Similarly, for the Adet Kenyah and Adet Kayan, the drafts have also been endorsed by their respective community leaders in Miri,” he said this in his ministerial winding up speech.
Additionally, he said that the four drafts were endorsed during the Mesyuarat Ahli-ahli Majlis, Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak on May 6.
“The drafts have been endorsed by members during the Mesyuarat Ahli-ahli Majlis, Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak on May 6 and are now ready to be submitted to the State Attorney-General’s Chambers for review.
“To provide better understanding of Adat to practitioners, enthusiasts and readers, Majlis Adat Istiaday Sarawak is also working on writing the Explanatory Notes for the Adat under review,” he said.
He also said the Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak is also undertaking preliminary work on the codification of Adet Punan.
“The first workshop on Adet Punan, which was held on Apr 22 and 23 in Bintulu, which brought together community leaders, representatives from the Punan National Association, and officers from the district officers of Belaga, Sebauh dan Tatau, marks another important step in preserving Sarawak’s indigenous customary heritage.
“The workshop marked an important step towards the documentation and preservation of the Adat and traditions of the Punan community in Sarawak,” he said.
Furthermore, he described the codification initiative as essential in ensuring that the customs and culture of the Punan community are systematically documented, preserved and kept relevant to contemporary needs.
“This codification effort is essential to ensure that the rich customs and culture of the Punan community are systematically preserved and remain relevant to contemporary needs, while further strengthening the recognition of Sarawak’s diverse native customs and cultural heritage,” he said.
