Categorization for non-Muslim Bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak

KUCHING: (theStarOnLine) Monday June, 1 2009

The Government has been urged to drop the “lain-lain (other races)” category for non-Muslim bumiputra in application forms like those for jobs and scholarships.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun said such identification should be replaced by “Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu” for the Dayaks in Sarawak.

Refuting reports that he had suggested that the word “Dayak” be dropped, Entulu, who is Dayak-based Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) deputy president, said: “It is because of my pride and concern for my community that I proposed the replacement (of ‘lain-lain’) with Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu in government forms only.

“I hope I will get a chorus of support expressed openly,” he said in a full-page Gawai message advertisement in The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said he had never suggested that the word “Dayak” be dropped in any other context of usage.

“I even stressed that ‘Dayak’ must continue to be used for associations, politics and the like,” Entulu said.

Earlier reports had quoted Entulu as saying that the term “Dayak”, coined during the colonial period to describe Sarawak’s 26 non-Muslim communities should no longer be used as the term had negative connotations.

Sarawak marks Gawai Dayak today and tomorrow as state public holidays.

Entulu also suggested that the national-level Gawai Dayak celebrations be held and rotated annually in different state capitals in the peninsula.

Linundus says ...

Similarly the term “Kadazandusun” should never be classified as an indigenous ethnic group in Sabah. The term “Kadazandusun” is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun.This was done so for political expediency only and not to be construed as an indigenous ethnic race. I believe that when our political leaders who coined the word “Kadazandusun”, they had no intention at all to create another indigenous ethnic race but only to satisfy their own political ends.

I have also expressed my opinion during the “Bengkel Kenegeraan dan Perpaduan Ethnik Negeri Sabah” held at Kem Bina Negara, Kundasang on 12^th May 2009 that the term “Kadazandusun” is not an indigenous ethnic race found in Sabah. I even suggested that such term may be used only for Associations or Societies, political parties, business associates or identification and the like.

Even YB Datuk Masidi said in his speech at the closing ceremony 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.

I suggest that the new indigenous ethnic grouping for the unification and classification of all indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia and is common to all the indigenous ethnic races in Sabah, is the term “MOMOGUN” which is a direct translation of the English word “Native”. This term will encompass all the indigenous ethnic races in Sabah without hurting the feelings of those who are either in main ethnic or sub-ethnic groups.

With this new unifying term, we can propose to the Government to drop the “lain-lain (other races)” category for non-Muslim Bumiputra (for Sabah) in application forms like those for jobs and scholarships and replace it with “Momogun Sabah” (which literally means “Natives of Sabah”), with a space immediately after this identification to state one’s own ethnical or sub-ethnical identity.

Related articles:

ISU EJAAN “KADAZANDUSUN” DI MEDIA CETAK

"Bumiputra Sabah" proposal by PBS

“Bumiputra Sabah” proposal by Johnny Mositun