Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary

(Note: Protect and Preserve your 'Kadazan' and 'Dusun' identities. Read the articles published HERE and HERE and participate in the survey Poll located at the top right-hand column of this page.)

I am not surprised if there are Kadazans or Dusuns people who defend the ‘Kadazandusun’ as an ethnic race in Sabah. They do so because they have their own personal agenda, or they simply refuse to accept the fact that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is NOT a race.

At a meeting of ‘Jawatankuasa Pakar Rujuk Bahasa Kadazandusun’ held on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at Kota Kinabalu, the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary authored by Rita Lasimbang of Kadazandusun Language Foundation, was tabled for discussion.

As a member of the Committee I took the opportunity to propose a correction on page 14 of the Dictionary wherein the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is printed and classified as one of the ethnic races in the Dictionary. The two indigenous ethnic races of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ have been conspicuously omitted, meaning, they are not found in Sabah.

Being a Kadazan, I felt sad and took this opportunity to make the correction to include both ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ races to replace the term ‘Kadazandusun’.

As we are all aware, Dictionary is a book of reference and a source of information to the readers and end users. And if we allow this glaring mistake to remain uncorrected it would be taken at face value as the truth. The readers, learners or end users of the Dictionary are misled to believe that there are no such ethnic races of ‘Kadazan’ or ‘Dusun’.

My proposal to correct the anomaly was met with objection from two Kadazan people. I find it absurd and was dumbfounded when they defended the term ‘Kadazandusun’ to remain intact as a race.

When posed with a question as to which race they belong to, given the fact that ‘Kadazandusun’ is not a race, they were silent for a moment. One of them, however, admitted that his race as registered in his birth certificate is ‘Kadazan’. As a fellow Kadazan, I felt dishonoured when he denied his own racial identity.

He gave his unqualified argument that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ will evolve slowly through the passage of time and thus will eventually be accepted or adopted as a race. I totally disagreed with his conjecture in this respect.

I would like to quote the late Tun Fuad Stephen’s statement which appeared in the Kinabalu Sunday Times on February 19, 1967 and reprinted in the Daily Express on Sunday, March 22, 2009:

“Another thing is the question of Kadazan and Dusun. The important thing is that we are one people; in our great desire to unite people in Colonial days some of us went to extremes and tried to force others to accept one name, Kadazan.

“This has only caused misunderstanding and even mistrust among some of us.

“We are more matured now and see clearly that the name should be left to us to choose, if we prefer to be called Kadazans, that is what we are and if we prefer to be called Dusuns that is what we should be remembering always that whatever name we prefer to go by, we are the same people.”

"Tun Fuad’s statement has been the hallmark and the guiding principle that KSS has been elucidating in its attempt to dispel the term ‘Kadazandusun’ to connote as a race," Datuk Marcel added.

It is beyond anybody’s comprehension that ‘Kadazandusun’ would eventually evolve as a race at the expense of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ races to disappear.

We may think this is absurd but it will disappear eventually if we leave it unchecked. How can we be so irresponsible as to delete the very existence of our own ethnic races? In fact we have now learnt that the person, who objected to my proposal, has been one of the initiators of the term ‘Kadazandusun’, and hence he has therefore vehemently defended the said term in the Dictionary.

As a Life Member of Kadazan Society Sabah of which I am the Deputy President, will strongly defend the existence of my ethnic race. In no way will I allow my Kadazan race be erased or deleted. It is my ethnic identity and I am proud to be identified as such.

It would be interesting to know how the Dusun community feels about their ethnic race being erased. Are they prepared to loose their own identity?

By right, we should all be defending and preserving our own identities and should not be easily influenced by people who may have their own personal agendas to suit their ends.

I believe many people have read the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary but none have commented it deserves. If we do not correct the anomaly now it would mean that we are accepting and condoning the incorrect term ‘Kadazandusun’ as an indigenous race in Sabah. If this is not corrected now then the Kadazans and Dusuns will eventually loose their identities. These two indigenous ethnic races are endangered of being wiped out from the face of the earth!

It is for this reason that I have to bring this issue out in the open for debate on why we should discontinue the use of the term ‘Kadazandusun’ as an ethnic race.

As what Tan Sri Herman Luping has written in his book titled “THE KADAZANDUSUN”, it is only a tag line to refer the Kadazans and Dusuns as a group. On the same token the tag line for Hakka, Hokkien, Cantonese, etc, is Chinese and not as an ethnic race.

Even YB Datuk Masidi Manjun who is a Dusun from Ranau, has concurred with the statement made by KSS President that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is not a race. “The term ‘Kadazandusun’ or ‘KDM’ is only for political grouping”, Datuk Masidi said.

Datuk Seri Panglima Bongkos Malakun, the Deputy President of KDCA also said, “The term ‘Kadazandusun’ is not an indigenous ethnic race per se in Sabah.”

“We should either be Kadazan or Dusun depending on one’s own preference. We should respect those who wish to be known as Dusun just as we expect others to respect our preference to be known as Kadazan,” Malakun added.

Since race is a sensitive issue we, the Kadazan and Dusun peoples, should debate on this matter to seriously defend our respective races, while the term ‘Kadazandusun’ should only be used as a tag line to identify both the Kadazans and Dusuns as a group of people.

You are encouraged to use this forum to write your comments, or write to me at sjdisimon@gmail.com.

Sylvester J. Disimon

Deputy President,

Kadazan Society Sabah.

Related article:

It is either “KadazanDusun”, or “Kadazan” or “Dusun”.

KadazanDusuns are indeed Natives of Sabah

WHAT TO DO IF STOPPED BY MALAYSIAN POLICE

This is a very useful information, especially for women folks! Who knows you might encounter the same problem when you step out from your house. Inform your loved ones and friends.

The next time you are stopped by persons who claimed they are plain clothes police, you are under no obligation to answer their questions or follow their orders, lawyers told Malaysiakini today.

'Policeman who is not wearing his uniform does not have the authority to stop anyone,' lawyer and human rights activist Sivarasa Rasiah said.

Procedures to follow in the event you are stopped by uniformed police Officers while driving:

1. Stop the car and wind down your window.

2. If the police officers ask for your documents, request to see their IDs first.

3. If you are satisfied about their identity, ask them if you are being summoned, and for what offence.

4. Produce your identity card and driver's license and wait to collect your summon ticket.

In the event that the police officers ask you to follow them to the police station:

1. Ask if you are under arrest and for what offence.

2. If you are not under arrest, you have the right to leave.

In the event you are flagged down by persons you believe could be plain clothes police: 1. Do not stop because plain clothes police officers do not have the authority to stop you.

2. Drive to the nearest police station and lodge a report. (The same procedure applies to pedestrians)

In the event the police come to your house:

1. Do not let them in before checking their IDs.

2. If you are not satisfied, phone the nearest police station and confirm if they had been sent to your house.

3. You are under no obligation to allow them into the house if they don't have a search warrant.

4. Do not go with them if you are not under arrest.

In the event persons who claimed to be plain clothes police come to your house:

1. Do not let him in because they do not have the authority to do so.

2. Lodge a report at the nearest police station.

Sivarasa was commenting on the alleged gang-rape of an 18-year-old Uni student by four men claiming to be police officers on New Year's Eve. The girl said that her car was stopped in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur and were asked by the men to open the car bonnet. She was then told that she had committed an offence and ordered to follow the men to a police station. The girl was driven in her car along the North-South expressway to the Tapah-Cameron Highlands road before she was raped in an oil palm estate.

This incident, and many others, have sparked confusion over the procedures which motorists must follow when flagged down by the police. The most common problem is that most people take instructions without determining if the other person is really a cop,' lawyer Annie Santiago said.

However, if you are stopped by a uniformed policeman, then you are required to stop. But you need not get out of the car because you are not expected to do so, Santiago said. He other rule to follow is to provide your identity card only when you are asked to do so. 'Even then, you should get his ID first to confirm if he is a cop. There is no harm in calling the relevant police station to verify if he is supposed to be on duty that day,' Sivarasa said.

Both lawyers said that motorists should never follow an officer to the police station unless one is under arrest . 'If you are not sure, and your instincts tell you that something is wrong, then drive off to the nearest police station and lodge a report,' Sivarasa said.

In response to the alleged gang-rape of the 18-year-old, Women's Aid Organisation executive-secretary Ivy Josiah called on the police to launch an education program to teach the public about their rights to prevent them from being victimised by bogus police officers.

EU condemns anti-Christian violence in Egypt, Malaysia

CWN, January 28, 2010

The European Parliament has condemned recent violence against Christians in Egypt and Malaysia, urging the Egyptian government to “guarantee that Coptic Christians and members of other religious communities and of minorities enjoy the full range of human rights and fundamental freedoms-- including the right to choose and change their religion freely-- and to prevent any discrimination against them.”

Praising the recent Malaysian court decision that permitted Christians to refer to God as “Allah,” the Parliament also called upon Malaysian authorities to “carry out thorough and rapid investigations into reported attacks against places of worship and to bring those responsible to justice.”

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union has praised the resolution and urged Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for External Relations, to “translate this priority into action.”

Source: CWN

Don't Let Them Provoke Us into War

by MarinaM

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

It seems obvious to me that there are some people very unhappy that Malaysians have not started killing each other yet. Instead we are going about our business and getting on with one another as usual. The malls and coffeeshops are full and there are traffic jams as always.

What's more, we are even organising peace initiatives to promote understanding and harmony among ourselves. Last weekend there were several events in KL including Tali Tenang where more than 200 people tied a long string together to symbolise unity and solidarity and walked through Bangsar putting smiles and cheers on the faces of passersby.

These types of events are making some people very unhappy. I'm not going to speculate why they would want us to be out there rioting but I believe they are trying to up the ante with even more provocative acts until some of us will lose our patience.

We should therefore refuse to bend to their wishes. We should refuse to be played around like this. We want peace and we know that can only be achieved through dialogue and discussion with mutual respect all round. These people are intent on making war among us for their own reasons. We should demand that the police catch whoever did this with utmost urgency and charge them immediately, as they should the ones they have caught for previous acts of arson on churches and suraus. We should demand to know why they did this and if so, was this their own idea or were they following orders from someone.

All religious authorities of every faith should condemn these acts of violence. These are grave acts which are sinful in every religion and they should all state that clearly.

We have seen what has happened in other countries where religion has been used to create civil war, to over up the real reasons for the nation's failures. As Malaysians, we should stand united against those who want to pit us against each other.

We will not be fooled, we will stand united.

LINUNDUS …

Christians are peace loving people and are not the type to stoop so low as to indulge such a disgraceful act. It is against the teaching of any religion to desecrate places of worship.

There seems to be a motive behind this and I agree with the writer that “we should demand to know why they did this and if so, was this their own idea or were they following orders from someone”.

Are those irresponsible people trying to provoke until some of us will lose our patience? We pray that it will not come to an explosive stage. We hope that those unhappy people will come to their senses and promote racial harmony and religious tolerance instead.

Pig heads flung into mosques

By Wong Choon Mei KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27: Pakatan Rakyat and civil society leaders have condemned the throwing of pig heads into two mosques as acts of reverse-psychology intended to drive the wedge deeper between the Muslims and the Christians in the country by irresponsible and power-crazed politicians. “This is clearly reverse-psychology propaganda by ruthless politicians who think they can still divide, control and confuse the people with such disgusting and outdated methods,” PAS strategist Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told Harakahdaily. ‘These are deliberate acts of provocation and not the isolated cases of mischief that the police and the Home Ministry have pretended they were,” Tian Chua, PKR strategic director, told Harakahdaily. “Going forward, Pakatan expects more houses of worship to be attacked. The aim is simple – to create as much fear and tension in society as possible so that they can justify and prolong their narrow and parochial interests,” Tian added. The pig heads, wrapped in plastic, were discovered in the compounds of the Masjid Taman Datuk Harun and Masjid Taman Seri Sentosa, both of which are situated along Jalan Kelang Lama in Petaling Jaya and about three kilometres apart. The mosques are also within the Kampung Medan area, which in 2001 was hit by an ethnic clash that reportedly left six people dead. Thirty pieces of RM1 notes were also found in the compound of the Masjid Taman Datuk Harun. The discovery was made by devotees when they came to attend morning prayers at 5.30 am.

Leaving pig heads at Muslim places of worships have happened before in Malaysia. It is considered an ultimate insult as the animal is taboo to Muslims and eating pork and pig by-products are banned. READ MORE HERE

A year ago, a pig's head, sliced into two, was found on top of a PAS flag on the floor of the Universiti Malaya surau.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has issued a warning to culprits not to stoke racial tension.

He said police will investigate the incidents in Taman Dato Harun and Taman Sentosa thoroughly and bring those responsible to book.

“We will meet with heads of all religious groups in the district to seek their assistance to cool things down.

“I have directed that extra patrols be conducted at places of worship throughout the country.

“We will not compromise as far as peace and security is concerned and will do everything within our means to ensure no untoward incident happens,” he said while appealing for information regarding the two incidents.

Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division chairman Raja Datuk Hanipuddin Raja Nong Chik urged residents to be calm and not to take the law in their hands and let the police conduct its investigation.

He had also condemned the conduct of the culprits responsible for the incident.

The trouble with Islamo-tribalism

A Linundus reader (Aizah) emailed to me the following article from the Turkey’s Daily News written by a Turkish Muslim, Mustafa AKYOL as he describes the ‘Allah’ controversy in Malaysia which I reproduce hereunder:

The trouble with Islamo-tribalism

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Nasty things are happening in Malaysia. Nine Christian churches have been vandalized or burnt just over the last weekend. Thank God, nobody has been hurt, yet, but the terror unleashed is terrifying enough for the Christian minority of this overwhelmingly Muslim nation.

Also thank God that the attacks were the work of a fanatic minority among Malaysian Muslims, or Malays. Many others, including government spokesmen, denounced the barbarism. Some volunteers from Muslim nongovernmental organizations have even begun patrolling churches to protect them from possible future attacks. This is, of course, commendable.

Yet still, I think that Malays should deal not just with the radical symptoms of the problem. They should also deal with the problem itself.

A copyright of God?

The problem itself is a “copyright issue,” as Marina Mahathir, a Malay commentator, rightly put it. Christians in the country have been using the word “Allah” to refer to God in their services and publications, whereas the Malays believe that they have a monopoly on it. Hence the Muslim-dominated government recently put a ban on non-Muslims using the term. Yet last month the High Court overturned the ban. And hell broke lose.

As a Turkish Muslim, I strongly disagree with my Malaysian coreligionists who disagree with the Christians. The word “Allah” simply means “The God” in Arabic, and Arab Christians have been using it for centuries without any trouble. In Turkey, too, Bibles published by Turkish Christians used to have the term “Allah” until the recent “modernization” in their discourse. The change is their choice, and none of our business.

Most Muslims, in other words, don’t have a problem with hearing the word “Allah” from non-Muslim theists. And this is how it should be, because the Koran repeatedly says that Muslims worship the same God with Jews and Christians. "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you,” a verse orders Muslims to tell these fellow monotheists. “Our God and your God is one." Whence, then, comes the Malay possessiveness of Allah?

The Malaysian government argues that making Allah synonymous with God may “confuse Muslims and ultimately mislead them into converting to Christianity.” Wow, what a great sign of self-confidence. Why don’t they rather think, one wonders, that the same thing might ultimately “mislead” Christians into converting to Islam.

Besides the obvious immaturity, what is really disturbing to me here is how Allah, the “Lord of mankind” according to the Koran, is reduced to something like a tribal deity. This was all too obvious in the slogan of the protesters at the mosques of Kuala Lumpur: "Allah,” they said, “is only for us." But who do you think you are, one should ask. Who gives you the authority to claim that the name of God of all men is your private property?

The answer, as you can guess, lies not in theology but politics. As a piece published in these pages yesterday (Gwynne Dyer, "In the Name of Allah") explained well, the Muslim Malays, despite making up 60 percent of Malaysia, “feel perpetually insecure.” They worry that if their numbers in population decrease so will their dominant role in the country. Hence comes Malaysia’s tyrannical bans on apostasy from Islam, limitations on mixed marriages, and the current obsession with the Christians’ language.

The main intention behind these is the preservation of the dominance, and the “purity,” of a certain political community – say, a big tribe. (The medieval Islamic ban an apostasy, which has no basis in the Koran, was similarly a product of political motives.)

But pursuing the perceived interests of a political community that happens to be Muslim, is not the same thing with upholding the religious values that God has bestowed on Muslims.

The difference between the two is subtle but crucial. It is the difference between serving God, and making God serve us, Jihad, victory and empire. The latter motivation, I suspect, is imperative in the makeup of the self-righteous, authoritarian and violent movements in the contemporary Muslim world. These movements always strive for some victory, some political dominance, which will elevate their very selves above all other men.

The words of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian who tried to blow up a passenger airliner near Detroit two weeks ago, are quite telling. “I imagine how the great jihad will take place,” he reportedly said, “how the Muslims will win ... and rule the whole world, and establish the greatest empire once again!!!”

The yearning for glory here is not too different from what a revolutionary communist expects from the dictatorship of the proletariat, or what a chauvinist expects from an imperialist agenda that will make his nation the master of the world.

The Muslim thing to do, however, is to be more humble, modest and openhearted. The Koran tells Muslims that they are supposed to be “the best community that has been raised up for mankind.” Yet they really can’t serve that purpose if they begin by despising the rest of mankind, and claiming an ownership of God.

And Malaysia can’t really uphold the values of Islam through Islamo-tribalism.

Harcharan Singh, President of Malaysian Gurdwaras Council wrote:

Quote

High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan made it clear in her judgment that the publication or use of the term 'Allah' is only prohibited if it is meant to propagate non-Islamic faiths to Muslims. The words ( in the Preamble to the Selangor Non Muslim Enactment 1988) are vital to show the prohibition is only against usage of such words as 'Allah' to PROPAGATE among Muslims. There is NO law to stop non-Muslims from using it in their own publications meant for members of their own faith. Furthermore, the enactments passed are STATE laws and can NEVER over-ride the Federal Constitution.