No more lain-lain category for Sabah ethnics

The Cabinet has agreed to a recommendation by the Technical Committee on Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera Minorities to reclassify Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera in race columns in official government forms.

The technical committee is co-chaired by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas to address the unhappiness of Bumiputera/indigenous communities in the two states who felt they were sidelined when labelled as ‘others’ (lain-lain) in the forms.

“The Sabah natives also want to be classified separately from other Bumiputera since their races are defined separately in the Federal Constitution and state constitution.

For Sabah ethnic groups, there will be no more ‘lain-lain’ category,” Dr Maximus said in a statement.