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KUCHING: Shotguns owned by Sarawak's Dayak community can only be bequeathed by parents to their children, says Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department Datuk Jefferson Jamit.
He said the Sarawak government was concerned about the issue of shotgun ownership, which was a public safety issue.
"In line with local needs and culture, the Sarawak government allows shotguns to be inherited on the condition that it is re-registered and the applicant passes a health and safety screening," he told Nicholas Kudi (GPS-Baleh) during question time at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Friday (May 10).
Nicholas had asked if the Dayaks' heirloom shotguns could be passed down to other kin if the owner had no children or legal heirs.
To a supplementary question, Jefferson said there were 45,568 shotgun owners in Sarawak.
He said this included 5,626 owners in Kapit division, where the Baleh constituency is located.
The use of shotguns for hunting and protecting farms is a long-standing practice among Dayaks.
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