KOTA KINABALU: The incursion by Sulu gunmen in Lahad Datu in February has nothing to do with the longstanding Sulu Sultanate claim over Sabah, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman told the state assembly.
He said the incursion, which resulted in an offensive by Malaysian forces resulting in 80 deaths, was nothing more than an attempt to destabilise the nation's security.
Replying to a question from Datuk Lajim Ukin (PKR Klias), he said the Sulu claim, dating more than half a century, became null and void after Sabahans overwhelmingly decided to become part of the Malaysian federation under the Cobbold Commission referendum in 1962.
Quoting Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail in his book Putting to Rest the Claim to Sabah by Self-proclaimed Sultanate of Sulu, Musa said the state had been completely and irrevocably ceded by the Sulu Sultan more than a century ago.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor said the government has no intention of making any fundamental changes to the Native Courts that was unique to the state.
He said there was plan to merge the Native Courts with the conventional or Syariah courts.
Instead, the state was determined to improve the Native Court institution by providing training for judges and their support staff, he said to a question from Jelani Hamdan (PKR-Matunggung).
Hajiji said six Native Court buildings were being constructed in Penampang, Keningau, Kudat, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tuaran.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said a dam costing RM271mil is being constructed in the east coast Tawau district.
Responding to a question from Chan Foong Hin (DAP-Sri Tanjong), he said the dam would be part of the district's water supply apart from serving as a flood control measure.
The Star
0 comments:
Post a Comment