Bangso Bajauh not competing with other associations – Hajiji

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KENINGAU: Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor said that the establishment of the Bangso Bajauh Samah Sabah Association was not to compete with existing Bajau associations in the state.

“But only as an addition to the objective that emphasizes the struggle for Bajau people in this state,” said Hajiji, who is the association’s president, when launching the Keningau branch of Sabah Bangso Bajau Samah Association at Perkasa Hotel here yesterday.

He said that it may become necessary to establish this association (Bangso Bajau Samah) so that the art, culture and language of this race would be able to stand on par with other races that have progressed in the state.

According to him, the association is not to compete with other associations among this ethnic, but is meant as an additional body to achieve the objectives of the struggle to raise the accord and standards of the Bajau community.

“The purpose of the establishment of this association is to protect this race throughout the state as well as accord and protect the interests of this community, especially to highlight and preserve the customs and culture of the Bajau Samah.

“I believe the existence of this association is to contribute towards the direction of preserving our culture that does not survive in the age of globalization, borderless world,” he said.

According to him, there is now also the modernization of the world which has resulted in the younger generation forgetting the customs and culture of their ancestors.

In this regard, he said the leadership of this association would be working with all parties to preserve and develop the culture and customs respectively so that they do not disappear in the modern world.

He said that the big struggle of the association is in the context of upholding this race and members of the association must be at the heart of the community and use their ingenuity to get involved in developing the nation through this association.

“The struggle of this association wants the children of this race not to be left behind in all areas that can advance this society such as politics, economics and education, which should be maintained.

“I am overwhelmed at the establishment of a branch of this association and believe there are many Bajau people living in this area who also want to keep the culture of this race. I also ask that the members of the association be committed to keeping the association and preferably in the spirit of cooperation so that the goal of our struggle will be achieved,” he added.

Hajiji also said the struggle of this association is sincere to keep up with other races in this state that have more progress.

He reminded the members to refrain from using the association for political purposes and so on, and added that, in politics, they should support the struggle of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).

Hajiji also said that the association would have its own culture centre building soon with the approval of the RM4 million allocation by the state government.

He said the allocation was the result of a good relationship in addition to the strong lobby of the association to the state leadership.

“In just a period of one year since this association was established, the leadership has already been successful in lobbying for a cultural centre to be built in the Tuaran district soon,” he said.

He believes that the building, estimated to cost around RM7 million, will be the administrative centre and used for the promotion of arts and culture of the Sabah Bangso Bajau Samah Association.

According to him, the centre will be built in a strategic site of state land near a resort in Tuaran which also contributes to the development of the tourism sector in the state, particularly Tuaran district and its surrounding areas.

Hajiji also said that the branches of this association would be established throughout the state in the near future so as to make it an association that really struggles for the Bajau Samah’s fate and future.

Also present at the ceremony were Sabah Bangso Bajau Samah Association deputy president Datuk Musbah Haji Jamlee; vice president and director of the state Community Development Leader Unit , Datuk Japlin Akim; vice president and political secretary of the Local Government and Housing Ministry, Kassim Razali; general secretary of the association, Suhaimi Haji Ismail; chairman of the association’s Keningau branch, Allufdin Mohd Yassin and District Council executive officer Rafik Haji Jubar.