KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — About 57 per cent of government forms still retain racial identification due to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution despite Cabinet’s consideration to drop it, Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun said today.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said following the Cabinet’s 2009 decision, government agencies studied the need for identification of ethnicity in official forms and Putrajaya subsequently found in 2011 that the race requirement was kept in 198 out of 346 government forms.

“This is because of needs under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution,” Joseph told Parliament during Question Time, referring to the constitutional provision on the special position of the Malays and of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

“The race column is needed for certain needs and purposes,” the Selangau MP added.

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Local daily The Star reported that the Cabinet had decided in 2009 to study a move to eliminate racial identification in official forms.

Lumut MP First Admiral (r) Mohd Imran Abdul Hamid pointed out that official application forms for places in public universities and for government scholarships provided for nine ethnic groups for the Malay race, nine for the Indians, 12 for the Chinese, eight for the Orang Asli, 36 for Sabahans and 57 for Sarawakians.

“Are we going to leave them in?” Mohd Imran questioned the minister in Parliament.

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“I will inform the relevant ministry to see if there is a need to drop them,” Joseph replied.