KUCHING, July 16 — Sarawak, which is in the process of transforming the Sarawak Native Courts, will learn from the experience of New Zealand concerning the handling of its Maori Land Court (MLC) and Laws, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

Uggah is currently leading a 36-member state delegation to New Zealand to study the country’s agricultural sector and its Maori Land Court and Laws.

"We, especially our Native Court officials, are here to learn from the experiences of the MLC and Waitangi Tribunal (WT) in dealing with Maori land,” he said in a statement yesterday after visiting the MLC Office and the WT Unit at Fujitsu Tower in Wellington.

The Malaysian High Commissioner to New Zealand Wong Mee Choo was present during the visit to MLC and WT Headquarters office.

Currently the Sarawak government is undertaking a comprehensive study aimed at restructuring and elevating the status of Native Courts to be on par with the Shariah and civil courts.

Uggah, who is also state modernisation of agriculture, native land and regional development minister, will also pay courtesy calls on the New Zealand Minister of Primary Industries Damien O'Connor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Winston Raymond today. — Bernama