ISU EJAAN “KADAZANDUSUN” DI MEDIA CETAK

I am dumfounded by the article written by ALLAN GUIM DUMBONG regarding the correct spelling of the term “Kadazadusun” and the manner in which he is giving instruction to all the newspapers media regarding the spelling of Kadazan Dusun which I quote:

“Ejaan yang betul bagi masyarakat Kadazandusun ialah “KADAZANDUSUN/ Kadazandusun” dan BUKAN “Kadazan Dusun”, “KadazanDusun”, “Kadazan-Dusun”, “DusunKadazan” dan seumpamanya.”

The same article was published earlier in the KDCA website . 

While admitting the fact that Dumbong is “Ahli Jawatankuasa Pusat Persatuan Kebudayaan Kadazandusun Merangkap Pengerusi, Jawatankuasa Penyelidikan, Dokumentasi & Komunikasi KDCA,” I am baffled by the fact that he made such an important statement, comments and or directive which should have otherwise been made by the President of KDCA himself or the Secretary General in order to render such statement as official.

If such statement by Dumbong has been ratified by the KDCA Supreme Council and released by the President or Secretary General of KDCA, then such statement could change the social and political landscape on the correct usage and spelling of the three main ethnic groups of Kadazan, Dusun and Murut.

I would like Dumbong to read my articles in here  and in here wherein I had explicitly explained the term “Kadazandusun” and the correct spelling of the ethnic races referred thereto.

I just want to further inform Dumbong that the term “Kadazandusun” or sometimes referred to as “KadazanDusunMurut” or in short “KDM” is not an ethnic race per se but a term coined for political expediency and/or grouping only. This has been clarified and confirmed by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, YB Datuk Masidi Manjun during his speech at the closing ceremony of “Bengkel Kenegeraan dan Perpaduan Ethnik Negeri Sabah” held at Kem Bina Negara, Kundasang on 12^th May 2009.

During his speech, YB Datuk Masidi said and I quote: “KSS made a very important statement in that there is no such thing as KDM race ... which is true,” he said. “Itu cuma satu ungkapan politik umpamanya. It is just a political grouping rather than ethnic grouping”, he emphasised. “It doesn’t mean that we cannot be united under different ethnic group ... there is no problem” he added.

The term “Kadazandusun” is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan andDusun. This was done so for political expediency only and not to be construed as a race.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the term “Kadazan-Dusun” has been used as the correct term for the unification of two races Kadazan and Dusun.

From “Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu, ensiklopedia bebas” the same term “Kadazan-Dusun” is also used for similar reason.

It is therefore correct to use those terms (deemed as incorrect by Dumbong) viz,“Kadazan Dusun”, “KadazanDusun”, “Kadazan-Dusun”, “DusunKadazan”  as they are all referring to two ethnic groups of Kadazan and Dusun.

On the contrary, the term “Kadazandusun” is a misnomer. However, political parties, organizations or companies may use or register the word “Kadazandusun” as an identification and/or name only, but it does construe as an ethnic race per se.

Of late the local newspapers have been using the phrases “Kadazan and Dusun” or “Kadazan-Dusun” or “KadazanDusunMurut” ever since Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan was quoted in the Daily Express page 2 of April 20, 2009 wherein he made  his speech at the Tambunan District Kaamatan and I quote: “The Kadazan and Dusun communities in the State are urged to appreciate the true meaning of the Pesta Kaamatan celebrations” under the headline, “Kaamatan helps Kadazans, Dusuns preserve identity”. This statement by Pairin should send a message to all of us that we are not a race under “Kadazandusun”, but we are either known/called as Kadazan or Dusun – whichever ethnic race we are comfortable to be identified with.