KOMBURA DISCOVERY: continue being the eyes, ears and mouthpiece of the government.

SANDAKAN: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman wants the Sabah Natives' Affairs Council (MHEAINS) to establish a database on native laws and customs.

This would strengthen the Native Court institution and MHEAINS should look into forging cooperation with higher learning institutions and related bodies in the matter, he said.

"The database should include information on cases handled by the native courts in the state as well as their judgments.

"It is crucial for reference by other such courts when handling similar cases in the future.

"I also request that cases be decided swiftly so that the people will be satisfied with the Native Court."

Musa said this at the opening of the biennial conference for the state's customary chiefs at a hotel here on Monday.

Since the state's Native Court institution was still relevant, Musa said the government would focus on the improvement of its system and other aspects in its administration.

This was reflected in the ground-breaking of the Native Court Training Institute in Penampang by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last year as well as the plan to build another six courts in the state.

Musa also called on the customary chiefs, including district chiefs and native chiefs, to continue being the eyes, ears and mouthpiece of the government.

"They are the implementers of government policies.

"They have an important role in assisting the government preserve the unity and identity of the people here."

Musa added that community leaders should do their best to ensure the government's development programmes reached their target groups.

In this respect, he said he was puzzled by claims made by opposition leaders that they pitied the people of Sabah because there was purportedly no development in the state.

"This is an insult to customary chiefs here.

"They have been working hard with elected representatives to bring development to their constituencies.

"I want to tell them (the opposition leaders) not to teach the duck how to swim.

"We have brought about so much development to the state, especially since Najib became the prime minister."

Musa said that the state government had stopped logging in more than 300ha of land, in addition to implementing programmes to replant high-value trees for future generations.

He said investors, especially big companies, were willing to come to the state and pour in millions of ringgit in investment because they had confidence in the state's political stability.

"It is up to us to explain and convince the grassroots that they must make the right choices for development, provided by the Barisan Nasional led-government, to continue.

"We need to remind the grassroots not to be hoodwinked by the empty promises made by the opposition."

About 400 customary leaders from the state took part in the conference, where nine working papers were tabled.