Upko: Debate on identity of Sabah natives healthy

Kota Belud: The ongoing debate on whether to collectively call Sabah natives Momogun or retain each race's name is a healthy endeavour in order to find the middle ground that will satisfy all groups.However, if such misunderstanding continued, the Government should not be blamed when Sabah natives continue to be identified as "Lain-lain" (others) in government forms.

United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Organisation (Upko) Acting President Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (pic) said for so long, bumiputeras in Sabah have been annoyed that they are forced to identify themselves as "Lain-lain" under the "Race" category in government forms.

"The Federal Government through the Cabinet ministers have decided that for Sarawak, the people there can identify themselves according to their races in government forms. But for Sabah, the Cabinet still has not decided.

"This is because we in Sabah have yet to agree on this issue, what identity we should use. Upko views this discussion as something that is healthy and we encourage it to continue.

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"However, in the end, we need to look at ourselves. Are we able to unite on which identity?" he said after officiating the Upko Kaamatan, here, Saturday.

He said he is aware of the lengthy discussions held between various groups, including the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) in social media and other media platforms regarding the question of "Momogun".

Upko's identity, he said, namely Pasok Momogun, is not something new because that term had been used even before the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

Tangau reminded that even in other races, such as the Malays and Chinese, there are numerous sub-ethnic groups under the all-encompassing race names.

"Under Malay, you have Bugis, Jawa whereas under the term Dayak, you have Bidayuh, Iban, and others. Under Chinese, there are Hakka, Cantonese, Hokkien and many others and their official language is Mandarin.

"We have already settled on Bundu-Liwan as our official language, which is the language used to teach students in schools.

"So now, we have to settle this issue, namely what should we call ourselves which would also include other races such as Murut, Lundayeh, Rungus, Lotud, Orang Sungei, Kimaragang and the rest," he said.

Whether the name would be "momogun" or something else, is besides the point and Upko would accept the decision made by all native groups, he added.

The issue arose after KDCA Sec-Gen. Datuk John Anthony said it was impractical to term all Sabahan natives as Momogun as he believed the Bajau people would object to being described as a Momogun.

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The proponents for Momogun, said Anthony, are attempting to create a new race called the Momogun of Sabah and would create more confusion and further debate when "we should just stick to the term Kadazandusun".

Huguan Siou and KDCA President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan had said there was no more need to search for new identities for the Kadazandusun because it will only serve to further divide and weaken the community's resolve and determination. The idea to recognise and uphold 'Momogun' as the generic identity for all the indigenous peoples of Sabah was mooted by the Momogun National Congress (MNC), an NGO created with the view of uniting, transforming and empowering the indigenous peoples in the State so that they could determine their own destiny, a sort of an umbrella of all indigenous peoples-based NGOs.

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