KUCHING, April 5 2026: A comprehensive study needs to be conducted before any proposal is agreed upon to grant Bumiputera status to the third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent, former Senator Abun Sui Anyit (picture) has stressed.
He said at this stage, the proposal is premature as well as for the Sarawak government to issue any official response.
“Several fundamental questions need to be addressed, such as who are the representatives of the Dayak and Malay communities who are said to be in agreement with the proposal and what form of study or consultation has been carried out?” he asked in a statement today when responding to Julau MP Larry Sng’s proposal.
Abun Sui, who is also PKR Hulu Rajang branch chief, also wanted to know who were the parties involved in the study, and what were the detailed findings.
“Issues affecting the status of Bumiputeras are not trivial matters, but are closely related to the Constitution, customary rights, history and sensitivities of the community in Sarawak.
“In this regard, any proposal must be supported by transparent data, credible research, and inclusive consultation, not merely general statements,” Abun Sui, who is a practising lawyer, said.
“Until clear and detailed information is presented, it is more appropriate that we refrain from making any premature conclusions or taking a position,” he stressed.
Recently, Larry, who is also Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president, has urged the state government to grant Bumiputera status to the third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent.
He declared that if Raghad Kurdi, wife of former Governor Abdul Taib Mahmud, and her two childre, being Syrians, could be granted the Bumiutera status, despite being in Sarawak for a short period, there was no reason why the Chinese, who have lived in Sarawak for over 100 years, could not be accorded the Bumiputera status.
State rights activist Peter John Jaban warned against granting the indigenous status to the third generation Chinese, saying that it was not that easy to grant the status as it involved customs, history and the origins of the indigenous communities while PBB information chief Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stressed that granting the status must comply with the provisions of the Federal and State Constitutions.
