Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Standard Marriage Certs For Native Marriages

An officer from the Sabah Native Affairs Office has pledged that his office will issue standard marriage and divorce certificates to be used by all Natives courts in Sabah.

Azmi Salim the officer, said at the moment his office is in the midst of preparing these certificates. Presently there are no standard marriage certificates issued by the Natives courts.

All marriage certificates currently in use are merely engagement certification papers which are stamped as "married" by the natives court.

Azmi was speaking at a seminar entitled Understanding on the Rights and Customs of Sabah Natives at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) hall on Saturday, March 10.

A reader had a few years ago proposed that the Natives Court issue standard marriage certificates in a Daily Express forum.

The reader Farouq Omaro, had also proposed that those holding office in the natives court
have legal background and not be appointed based on political affiliations, a proposal that has yet to materialise.

Anyway, the Sabah government should be congratulated on its decision to issue standard marriage certificates through the Natives Court. It is hoped that marriages in the natives court are not nullified by the civil or Sharia courts.