KOTA KINABALU: Lawyer Marcel Jude’s remarks describing the Unduk Ngadau pageant as ‘nothing more than an exotic cattle show and almost feel like an auction show’ has drawn the anger of the KadazanDusun Murut Rungus (KDMR) community.
They are angry at the remarks which they deemed is derogatory to ethnic women in Sabah and are looking at taking legal action against Marcel.
Persatuan Momogun Rungus Sabah (SAMORA) president Datuk Dr Jelani Hamdan said that their team of lawyers is reviewing the type of legal action to be taken against Marcel for his remarks.
This includes looking at it from a criminal, civil or native court, he said, adding that they will also look at submitting a request for disciplinary action to the Sabah Law Society (SLS).
Jelani in a statement on Sunday disclosed that as the president of SAMORA, he was the organizing chairman of the State-level Kaamatan Festival 2000 and had been invited to be on the jury panel of Unduk Ngadau pageants at state and district levels.
“I was deeply insulted by the remarks. In fact SAMORA which organises the ‘Mitarab Gimpuhut Momogun Rungus’ pageant during the Pesta Magahau is also affected by the remarks,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile Angkatan Perpaduan Sabah (APS) vice president Paul Kadau was of the opinion that Marcel’s statement in his court submission for his client who was accused of molesting a Unduk Ngadau contestant showed that the lawyer was insensitive to the real objective of the pageant.
Culture and tradition, Kadau stressed, have been protected and not only recognised in Malaysia but also by the United Nations through the “Declaration on The Rights Of Indigenous People (UNDRIP)” which recognises culture, language and tradition in the protection of Indigenous People’s right worldwide.
“The lawyer’s remarks in his court submission are not only an insult to the KDMR community in Sabah but also makes it seem that the level of eduction and thinking of the KDMR community is not as high as other races,” he said.
Kadau pointed out that the purpose of holding the Unduk Ngadau pageant is not only to uphold the dignity of women but also to remind us that in the current modern development cases such as abuse, violence, sexual harassment and rape occur all over the world.
Unduk Ngadau participants will bring a message to the government to protect women’s rights and getting equal status with men in all fields without having to worry about sexual harassment, he said.
Neither are they to be made out as sexual objects let alone equated with the status of animals, he claimed.
“Due to the statement presented by the defense counsel to the court, it has caused many people to be very angry, especially since the feelings of the indigenous people have been hurt.
“Therefore, APS will ensure that this matter does not continue, so we will be filing a suit against Marcel Jude in the near future to restore the dignity and ‘spirit of the padi’ of the natives,” Kadau said.
Marcel is defending politician Phillip Among who is facing five charges of molesting two women, including a state-level Unduk Ngadau contestant. He has claimed trial to all the charges.
The Rungus Pitas Sabah Association (PISAAN) also condemns the statements made by the legal counsel.
Its president, Richard Mazagi, in a press statement on Sunday said the remarks made by the lawyer were an insult to the Kadazan Dusun Murut and Rungus (KDMR) community.
“The Unguk Ngadau Kaamatan is a platform to showcase young KDMR women who symbolise the myth of Huminodun.
“The myth behind the Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan event is not a story that can be made into a joke or insult because it involves a huge sacrifice of a young woman, to save the people from hunger and famine.
“The Rungus community in Pitas is very disappointed in the remarks by the lawyer and likens it to an extreme statement that does not respect the culture and women of the KDMR community,” he said.
Richard added that the Unduk Ngadau pageant had, since the 60s, nurtured many successful young women and it not only empowered young women, but also developed into a tourist attraction.
“The Unduk Ngadau is a traditional pageant event that has been recognised internationally and put Sabah on the world map.
“Such insulting comments about the Unduk Ngadau are too much and we urge the lawyer involved to retract the statement and make a public apology.
“We also hope this incident will serve as a lesson to all, to respect women and the culture of the KDMR community,” he said.