be continued. Some groups asked that other native languages should be given official status so that they could be used in the future elected Councils.
There was unanimous agreement among native groups that, in addition to the customary rights over land and to certain other existing privileges, the special position accorded to Malays under the Federation of Malaya Constitution should be extended to the indigenous peoples in North Borneo to enable them to obtain educational and other qualifications, or to gain experience in business, in order to compete on equal terms with the other races in the country.
In a few cases it was proposed that the special privileges should continue for a limited period of years only.
Some groups expressed concern at the possibility that after a Federation of Malaysia had been established, the Constitution might be amended by the Federal Parliament in Kuala Lumpur to North Borneo's disadvantage and without her consent. These views were sometimes put forward in conjunction with those already referred to in (e) above as justification for specially favourable treatment over representation in the Federal Parliament.
A number of groups considered that, during an initial period (usually put at 3-5 years), North Borneo should be at liberty to withdraw from the new Federation if her elected representatives became convinced by experience that the arrangements were not in her long-term interest.
- The Chinese
119. It is desirable to consider the Chinese separately, first because their position in North Borneo to-day is different in law from that of the indigenous peoples. Certain privileges are already reserved for natives, for example in regard to land, and special measures have been taken in recent years to ensure that better facilities are available for the education of natives, including priority for scholarships overseas. The Chinese have supported the need for these measures in view of the general backwardness of the indigenous peoples.
120. A second reason for dealing separately with the Chinese is that their attitude towards the Malaysia proposals is influenced by the fear that their position as non-natives will be further subordinated to that of the indigenous peoples, particularly in regard to citizenship, entry in to the Government services and in the commercial field.
121. The total number of Chinese in North Borneo was 104,542 at the time of the 1960 census. They form the second largest racial community, the Dusuns being the largest, and make up 23 per cent. of the total population. The rate of increase over the nine years since the previous census in 1951 has been as high as 40.6 per cent. and none of this is due to immigration. At the time of the 1960 census approximately 46 per cent. of the Chinese were under the age of 15, and 77 per cent. of the total were born in North Borneo.
