Ongkili: KDCA to preserve Kadazandusun languages

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KOTA KINABALU:  Deputy KadazanDusun Cultural Association (KDCA) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili said the association would fiercely pursue preservation efforts of the Kadazandusun languages in Sabah.

He said part of saving the mother tongue from extinction included the 2016 initiated sponsorship of kindergartens by KDCA in the state.

“We at KDCA are very concerned about this. That is part of the new planning started in KDCA last year. This year, we are setting up more KadazanDusun kindergartens. I am in charge of that,” revealed Ongkili.

“We are going to sponsor one, Tiong (Kindergarten in Tuaran) and my KPI (Key Performance Indicator) this year is to set up three more under the sponsorship of KDCA, where kindergartens do everything in the KadazanDusun language,” he added.

According to Ongkili, among the existing efforts done by other parties included the Protestant Church Sabah’s (PCS’s) 17 kindergartens that are using the mother tongue as a medium.

“Also part of the KPI this year is to set up more schools in the urban area so that we can send our children to learn and speak KadazanDusun,” said Ongkili.

He said adults would also be interested to register in such programs at KDCA in the future.