State Laws and Native Affairs Ministry now handling USB

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah State Education and Innovation Ministry yesterday handed over the Bumiputera Status Unit (USB) to the State Laws and Native Affairs Ministry.

State Education and Innovation Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Bruno Vun said USB had been handed over to the State Laws and Natives Affairs Ministry as the ministry was more suitable to manage the unit.

“Earlier the unit was handled by several ministries including the Chief Minister's Department and the State Resource Development and Information Technology Ministry.

“As the new state government has created a Laws and Native Affairs Ministry, therefore we see the ministry being more appropriate as it is related to native affairs in Sabah,” he told reporters after handing over the unit here yesterday.

Also present was the Sabah Laws and Native Affairs Minister Datuk Aidi Moktar.

Bruno said USB is a unit which processes new applications and renewal by entrepreneurs or businesses to obtain Bumiputera Status Certificates.

"USB is also the secretariat of the Sabah Bumiputera Status Registration and Accreditation Committee which accord Bumiputera Status accreditation to entrepreneurs and companies in the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aidi said its was timely for his ministry to manage USB since it was set up in 1981.

“After the transfer, we intend to rename the unit as the Native Business Status Unit,” he said.

On the appointment of village heads in Sabah, Aidi said the exercise should be completed this month but several issues have to be resolved first.

“Now 90 per cent of the villages in Sabah have village heads and the remaining villages would be settled by the middle of March. - Bernama