Barisan Nasional Iban politician Dr James Masing should not just dismiss the adoption of any person by way of Iban tradition and custom because this practice has been entrenched in the adat (general customs) of the Iban community.

The traditional adoption of a person was, in fact, included in the ‘Adat Iban 1993', said PKR Hulu Rajang division chief Frankie Manja Bedindang.

He was rebutting state Land Development Minister Dr James Masing’s claim that the recent adoption of PKR Padang Serai member of Parliament N. Gobalakrishnan as an adopted son by an Iban chief in Ulu Sut in Balleh, Kapit was a mockery of Iban customs.

james masing (‘Adat Iban 1993' is a collection of Iban customary practices, customs and penalties which are legally enforceable.)

Masing, ( right ) who is also PRS president and state assembly person for Balleh, was also today quoted by The Borneo Post as saying that it was rather unusual for a grown-up man to be legally adopted by an Iban family.

‘I hope this MP isn’t trying to pull a fast one on my community,’ said Masing, an anthropologist turned politician told the English daily.

Masing was apparently irked by the gesture of Tuai Rumah Jugah at a 30-door longhouse in his constituency in adopting Gobalakrishnan as his adopted son in a on June 16 long before he (Gobalakrishnan) was denied entry into Sarawak by the state authorities on Christmas Eve.

Gobalakrishnan was barred from entering Sarawak on Christmas eve by the immigration authorities at the Kuching International Airport.

‘Not unusual in Iban tradition’

He was to celebrate Christmas with his adoptive parents at their longhouse, about 500km from Kuching. According to the state immigration, Gobalakrishnan had to apply for a permit to enter Sarawak under section 66(1) of the Immigration Act.

As a rule, Peninsular Malaysians need not apply for an entry permit so long as they carry their identity card or passport with them.

The opposition party parliamentarian claimed that the entry ban was politically motivated as the state government has become increasingly worried by the groundswell of support for PKR, especially in the rural areas.

pas supporters club launch 160207 n gobalakrishnan Bedindang said that after going through the traditional adoption ceremony and being given an Iban name - Jugan ak Jugah - Golabalakrishnan ( left ) was considered by the longhouse community as a local and he could enter and leave the longhouse at anytime.

‘I do not dispute Masing’s contention it is not a legal adoption in the sense there is no legal documentation. But to us, it is a practice that has been going on for generations among the Iban community,’ he said.

‘It is not unusual in Iban tradition and customs to adopt adults too. Look at Councillor Tan who has been adopted by an Iban family and has been given the Iban name Mabong ak Datuk Kenneth Kanyan.

"In fact this practice goes back a long time to even during the Rajah times when Malcolm McDonald, the then British governor-general of Southeast Asia, was adopted by the Temenggong Koh family as their son,’ Bedindang said.

He added that even though ownership of native customary rights (NCR) land does not have any legal title or paper to it, NCR is recognised to a certain extent by Sarawak laws.

‘Would Masing say that the Sarawak government, in this instance, does not recognise NCR land?’ he asked.

Bedindang said it would be dangerous for the community if an Iban leader were to take the stand that traditional practices were always illegal because of the obvious implications.