KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will conduct a thorough study on calls to lift the 1982 freeze on issuing Native Certificates granting bumiputra status to Sino-natives in the state.

       Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the study would be conducted by the state Local Government and Housing Ministry, through the Native Affairs Department.

       Sino-natives are children of mixed Chinese and native parentage in Sabah.

       Before the ban was enforced, Sino-natives could claim native (bumiputra) status and enjoy special rights such as acquire native land, open an Amanah Saham Bumiputra (ASB) account, as well as enrol in public institutions of higher learning.

       “We hope a concrete result will come from this study so that eligible Sino-natives here will be able to enjoy special rights that bumiputras currently have,” he said after the launching of the i-Suri initiative here on Tuesday (March 1).

       This follows a call by Sabah Sino Kadazan Dusun Murut Association president Datuk Johnny Goh to lift the ban.

       The Berjaya state government at the time stopped the issuance of these certificates after many non-indigenous persons were found to have fraudulently obtained them to acquire bumiputra benefits and land.

       On another matter, Hajiji said Sabah has no plans to change the name of the Chief Minister's post to Premier, like what Sarawak has done.

       “The term ‘Chief Minister’ is good enough for us (for) now,” he said.

       Sarawak's Chief Minister is now officially known as the Premier of Sarawak after the state constitutional amendment to rename the post was gazetted.

       Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion said the amendment, which was recently approved by the legislative assembly, came into effect on Tuesday.

       Meanwhile, Sabah's i-Suri or Baiduri initiative that Hajiji launched Tuesday is set to benefit 42,097 women in the state.

       An allocation of more than RM2.5mil has been set aside for this purpose, Hajiji said.

       He also said a further RM17.61mil had been allocated for women's development initiatives under Budget 2022 as a form of appreciation for the sacrifices and contributions of women in Sabah.

       Hajiji urged women, especially housewives, to always keep themselves up to date with changing socio-economic developments and issues so that they can help themselves as well as their families.