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Revisiting the term "Bumiputera"

By Joe Fernandez

KOTA KINABALU : A case can be made via Adat, legal, constitutional and Administrative Law for qualified  descendants of Pendatang to be accorded Bumiputera (sons of the soil) status in Malaysia.

The recent Supreme Court decision in South Africa recognising the Chinese community in that country as Blacks, refers.

Having said that, a distinction must be made between Orang Asal and Bumiputera.

All Orang Asal are Bumiputera but not all Bumiputera are Orang Asal.

No one can claim to be Native, to use the English term, unless he or she is an Orang Asal.


Anyone who is not an Orang Asal, is either a Pendatang or descendant of Pendatang, wholly or in part.

Those who are part Orang Asal and part descendent of Pendatang can be accorded Orang Asal status vide Administrative Law.

Only the following communities in M'sia are Orang Asal: Murutic and Dusunic groupings including Kadazan(Sabah); Dayak including Sarawak Malays (Sarawak); and Orang Asli (Peninsular M'sia).

Note: Orang Asal as in being the first people to settle down in an empty geographical expanse. This first settlement can be reckoned from the first day until a point in time where thereafter there is no further influx of the same people. It would further strengthen the legal status if the same people are not found elsewhere outside the said geographical expanse.

The descendants of Pendatang who (the descendants) are born in Malaysia and are citizens by operation of law can be accorded Bumiputera status provided they don't give up their citizenship or (except for S'pore or Brunei citizenship) acquire another citizenship, but they may acquire permanent residence elsewhere.

The issue (children) of Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera can be accorded Bumiputera status by Administrative Law provided they comply with the same stipulations as in the preceding paragraph.

At present, apart from the Orang Asal, only the Malay-speaking communities (Bugis, Javanese, Minang, Acehnese etc) in Peninsular M'sia are recognised as Bumiputera, provided they remain Muslim,  and whether or not they are born in M'sia; along with the Portuguese and Siamese.

Why should the Malay-speaking communities in Peninsular M'sia, being Pendatang too and descendants of Pendatang, have a status -- Bumiputera -- which has been denied to the descendants of the non-Malay Pendatangs since independence?

It was Tunku Abdul Rahman who came up with the term Bumiputera which does not exist in the Federal Constitution.

Which political party has the wisdom, courage and foresight to adopt the above position?

27 comments:

  1. Hahahhaa.. nice one:P well, lets wait and see:P

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  2. I can't wait to see their response to this.

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  3. Let's see which political party will respond to this article

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  4. Nice and clearly written...happy reading :)

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  5. Certain facts would emerge from this.

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    Replies
    1. I can't wait to see what happens next.

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  6. Tidak perlulah begitu mempertikaikan isu Bumiputera ini, rakyat kita sudah lama menggunakan terma ini.

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  7. isu bumiputera pula kini dimainkan.

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    Replies
    1. Biasalah, makin dekat PRU makin kreatif fikiran manusia kan:P hehhee

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    2. Harap isu ini tidak akan merosakkan perpaduan rakyat tempatan.

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  8. Klaau semua benda nak dipertikaikan entah lama-lama apa lah kejadiannya nanti:P

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    Replies
    1. Janganlah ada pihak yang cuba nak sensasikan isu macam ni.

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  9. Semoga perkara berkaitan bumiputera ini tidak lagi dpanjangkan bagi mengelakkan ketegangan timbul.

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    Replies
    1. Ya, takut timbul pula ketegangan antara kaum dalam negeri. Kurang baiklah untuk perpaduan.

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    2. sebarang pekara yang oleh menjejaskan perpaduan harus dielakkan.

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    3. Masih terdapat mereka yang ragu2 dengan terma bumiputera ni.

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  10. Pasti akan ada respon tentang hal ni. Cuma bila tu, tak tahu lah:P

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    Replies
    1. Tunggulah dan lihat saja, pasti ada pihak yang akan tampil memberi penerangan.

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    2. Isu sensitif berkenaan kaum dan bangsa harus dielakkan. Perpaduan antara kaum amat penting.

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    3. setuju dengan Nelson, isu sensetif harus diuruskan dengan sebaiknya. perpaduan adalah keutamaan.

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  11. perpaduan dan keharmonian yang ada harus dijaga dengan sebaiknya.

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    Replies
    1. semua adalah berperanan dalam mengekalkn keharmonian yang wujud.

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    2. pertikaian mengenai terma bumiputera ni pun boleh rosakkan perpaduan dan keharmonian. harap2 ada penjelasan tentang perkara ni dan tidak dipanjangkan.

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  12. harap janganlah ada yang cuba mainkan isu yang sensetif.

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  13. Saya ada dengar dari kata-kata orang luar yang mana dia kata inilah orang Malaysia.."Kuat betul complain"..Itulah sikap orang kita ini terutama sekali adalah pihak parti pembangkang.

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    Replies
    1. Memang. pandai komplen tapi tidak pandai selesaikan. kalau perkara tu di pihak mereka pasti sendiri pun tidak tahu mau buat apa.

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  14. PRU 13 tidak tahu bila diadakan??Sesiapa tahu bila PRU13 diadakan aa?? Membimbangkan pula lambat diumumkan.

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