KUCHING: An offspring from a mixed marriage with one of the parents being a Bumiputera can apply for admission to institutions of higher learning (IPT), especially Universiti TeknologiMARA (UiTM) for matriculation and science foundation (asasi sains).
This was disclosed by Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah in a press conference after chairing a roundtable session on ‘Marriage and its maintenance’ in Baitulmakmur in Petra Jaya here, yesterday.
She said, a circular from the former Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan was released in 2009 on the recognition by the administration of Bumiputera status to the people in Sabah and Sarawak with one of the parents is a Bumiputera.
“Based on the recognition by the administration, if the applicant is an offspring from a mixed marriage where one of the applicant’s parents is a Bumiputera, the applicant is regarded as a Bumiputera.
“So, with this, we would like to remind all agencies who deal with students admission to universities especially involving students or applicants who are from mixed parentage to resolve the matter in the administrative way,” she stressed.
According to Fatimah, the government has also agreed and decided that all ministries, departments and agencies administratively recognise Bumiputera status to the people in Sabah and Sarawak if one of the parents is a Bumiputera.
“Under our state laws on natives, it is stated that for a child to be considered as a Bumiputera, both parents must be a Bumiputera.
“But in this case, there was a circular issued to help applicants of mixed parentage because if according to existing law, an applicant with only one of the parents being Bumiputera, the applicant cannot apply for UiTM, matriculation and foundation of science,” Fatimah pointed out.
On the other hand, she also stated that Sarawak will have a legal system for the protection of women and children which is more consistent and uniform within the next two years.
She urged all related agencies to jointly relook into conflicting provision of existing laws either in the Majlis Adat Istiadat, Civil Laws or Syariah Laws especially regarding on the minimum age of marriage as well as maintenance of ex wife.
She said, there is a need to relook at the existing laws so there is an equation of the following points in the existing law.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Native Laws and Customs Datuk John Sikie Tayai, Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Women and Family Department Director Noriah Ahmad and Native Court Chief Registrar Datu Ganie Ugay.
