Another milestone for Kadazandusun-Murut

TAMBUNAN: Tomorrow, the Kadazandusun-Murut community will witness another milestone when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak officiates at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) Community College at Pisompuruan Square here.

The college, to be located in the village of Kaingaran here, is set to play an important role in consolidating the Kadazandusun-Murut community’s cultural heritage and education.

In fact, no one would have thought that the proposed educational institution for the community would be a reality some day — and what is even more astonishing — within a year after the idea was first mooted.

This idea was first proposed during the inauguration of the Sabah Kadazandusun Murut Welfare and Education Association (Pekadin) in Kota Marudu on May 15, 2011.

In a surprising turn of events, just eight days later, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is the paramount leader (Huguan Siou) of the Kadazandusun-Murut community, took up the idea seriously and announced that a college for the community would be built in Kaingaran.

 

A dream come true for the community

The credit also goes to the Sabah state government which, under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, agreed to assist in establishing the college, while the federal government provided its prompt approval.

From the very onset, the people of Sabah and the community leaders — the president of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), Tan Sri Bernard Dompok; the president of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Tan Sri Joseph Kurup; the deputy president of Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP), Eric Mojimbun — as well as other academicians and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) expressed their full support for the college.

“What was once a dream has now become a reality. This is good news for the people of Sabah, especially for the Kadazandusun-Murut community,” said Nailin Gabintal, the deputy president of Pekadin.

She hoped that the college would be able to commence courses soon, probably in rented shop lots in Donggongon at first, while its permanent campus in Tambunan was being set up.

“Perhaps the college can find its niche by offering courses like certificate/diploma courses in eco-tourism, retailing and business studies, and native law, for a start,” she suggested.

Meanwhile, Jannie Lasimbang, the commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) welcomed the proposed college and hoped that it would provide opportunities for the children of the indigenous groups in the state, particularly the poor ones, to shine in the field of education.

 

NGOs herald KDM college

Kanul Gindol, an NGO activist and journalist, said the Kadazandusun community should support the college in whatever way possible.

“I hope the initiators of this college will be pragmatic and creative in deciding the most relevant and attractive courses they can offer to ensure that its graduates do well,” he remarked.

Kanul, 46, who had worked for Bernama at one time, expressed hope that the College would evolve into an institution that benefited all of its students and the state.”

He opined that the college’s medium of instruction should be English, and that the college should offer courses such as theology, music and even political science, which can be pursued by both fresh and advanced-level students.

 

KDM college to consolidate community’s culture and education

Meanwhile, the vice president of PBRS, Cyril Yansalang, described the establishment of the college as timely, saying that it would help consolidate the culture and education of the Kadazandusun-Murut community.

He pointed out that several parties — including the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) of Sabah — had contributed immensely to developing culture and education in Sabah.

Cyril, who hails from Tambunan, said in the larger context, the college reflected the state and federal governments’ seriousness in realising the 1Malaysia concept of ‘People First, Performance Now’ advocated by the prime minister.

Henry Bating, a Kadazandusun language lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS’s) Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language, noted that the college should be made at least a Universiti College under the Ministry of Higher Education, with a dedicated faculty or academy for Kadazandusun studies.

“I feel that such a faculty is highly relevant, as there is no such dedicated faculty for Borneo studies at present,” he remarked.

 

Sano hopes KDM College will be elevated to university status in future

According to the president of the Sabah Native Cultural and Welfare Organisation (Sano), Samson Quintin, Sano highly commends the Huguan Siou, all the comrades at KDCA, and those who have provided their ideas and encouragement for the college.

“Education is the key to success and is a must for elevating the community to a higher status and eradicating illiteracy,” he stated.

He hoped that the college would be elevated to the university level in the future.

“This is the place for the community to elevate itself, because we know that its members are still lagging far behind, especially in the fields of management, engineering, entrepreneurship and economics,” he added.

Samson also expressed his gratitude to the federal government, and especially to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, for sincerely granting the wishes of the Kadazandusun-Murut community.

In brief, KDM Community College represents the government’s recognition for the Kadazandusun-Murut community and serves as an important cornerstone for the community’s progress. — Bernama