KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will look for the best approach pertaining to appointing people from the Javanese and Bugis as village-level leaders, said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said the matter must be scrutinised to avoid disputes and without marginalising the ethnic groups in the state.
‘’We have to see the situation, for instance, if the local community is mostly made up of Chinese we do not say their leader is a native but they have a kapitan, that is why the best approach must be taken,’’ he told reporters after a Walk About programme in Segama in conjunction with the Chinese New Year last night.
Mohd Shafie said the suitability needed to be seen to represent a community in a certain area but how it would be implemented would be based on the existing laws.
Recently, Sabah Law and Native Affairs Minister Datuk Aidi Moktar was condemned after suggesting that the Jawa and Bugis communities be recognised as natives of Sabah.
On the programme, 700 stalls and 20 food trucks would be operating around Segama on Monday from 3.30 pm until 2 am.
In addition, stalls would also be set up in other locations, namely, Lido, Penampang; Metro Town, Inanam and Foh Sang, Luyang. – Bernama
