DAP VOWS TO FIGHT NATIVE CERT DISPUTE IN COURT

DAP SABAH is standing solidly behind its Chairman, Jimmy Wong despite the declaration by Local Government and Housing Minister Hajiji Mohd Noor that his Native Certificate is invalid.

"It is part of Umno's strategies to selectively persecute those who are a stumbling block to their political ambition in Sabah. For Jimmy and the other DAP Sabah leaders, it is an occupational hazard."

DAP Sabah Secretary, Dr Edwin Bosi, in a statement, said the timing of invalidating Wong's native certificate against the backdrop of the pending 13th general election was very obvious.

Hajiji had said the Board's decision had been presented to the Kota Kinabalu Native Court (KKNC) to cancel Wong's certificate but at the same time conceded that the Board's decision can only be implemented in the near future as the KKNC was only gazetted in December 2011.

"This is an injustice. Without the letter of revocation from the KKNC, Wong is left high and dry. We urge Hajiji to get the revocation letter delivered to Wong so that he can seek justice in court soon as possible," he said.

He said DAP Sabah was aware of the amendment to the Native Court Enactment 1992 which provided for the establishment of a Board by the Head of State to investigate, research and validate all native certificates that have been issued when there is an official complaint lodged against the holders.

This amendment was primarily aimed at checking and curbing the so-called abuse in the issuance of native certificates which for that reason was stopped in 1982 by the government.

"There are so many complaints about native certificates in the hands of unqualified persons and yet the Minister has not lifted his little finger to initiate the formation of the Board.

"Jimmy who happens to be the sole DAP representative in the Sabah Assembly and a pain in the neck for the Chief Minister what else could we call this but a selective persecution action by Umno," he said.