TAMPARULI: Community leaders have been urged to make conscious efforts to attract the younger generations to fully embrace native customs, including making it as a career choice.
The call was made by the acting president of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), Datuk Madius Tangau, who believes in the preservation of tradition and culture.
“Our way of life, our adat (tradition) has been recognised even before Merdeka days. It has become part and parcel of the Malaysian culture. We, in the party, have made such preservation as one of our objectives since day one,” he said, adding several measures had been taken to pursue the quest.
These include the party’s success in getting allocation from the Federal Government to build the Institut Latihan Mahkamah Anak Negeri (ILMAN) in Penampang and six native courts in districts last year. ILMAN will, among others, be a centre to train the community leaders at all levels.
“Upko is determined to help ensure the institutionalization of our adat. ILMAN will go a very long way towards the realisation of this noble dream. Our aim is to elevate our native court to, at least, be on par with the Syariah Court or even the civil court and in so doing make it as another career opportunity for our people. On this note, Upko is grateful for the solid support from Putrajaya and the State Government.
“That will be the day when pupils in primary schools, when asked about their ambition, would say, they want to become successful Ketua Kampung, Wakil Ketua Anak Negeri, Ketua Anak Negeri or Ketua Daerah. Towards this end, I have urged community leaders to reach out to the younger ones and expose them to the beauty of our adat,” he added.
Tangau, who is the Tuaran member of parliament, elaborated on this in his speech at the presentation of letters of appointment to community leaders here yesterday, including to the new Ketua Daerah (Orang Kaya Kaya – OKK) for Tamparuli, Johnny Tanggar.
Tanggar, 61, from Kampung Tagas, Tuaran, a Dusun Lotud, had previously served in various capacities in the State and Federal ministries. He was the political secretary to the late Datuk Clarence Mansul and later as a special officer to Datuk Dr James Ongkili.
Tanggar, who replaced the late OKK Datuk James Arab who passed away on May 5 this year, thanked Tangau for entrusting him with the task.
“As always, I will do my very best in carrying out this new responsibility. I believe together with the community leaders (in Tamparuli), all of whom are my friends, we will be able to do more to further enhance our community in all aspects of life,” he said.
Eleven Ketua kampung, four WKAN and one KAN also received their appointments yesterday, witnessed by Tamparuli assistant district officer Celestinus Lawanding.