Hoping global acclaim for the K’gau Oath Stone
Published on: Wednesday, June 19, 2019
By: Johan Aziz
KENINGAU: Keningau Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan hopes the Batu Sumpah or Oath Stone that is tied up to Malaysia’s formation – and whose original inscriptions were restored after the plaque mysteriously went missing for three decades – will receive global acclaim and recognition as the only one of its kind.
He said the Oath Stone which contains three of the 20-Points demands for Sabah’s acceptance of Malaysia would certainly be a historical tourism icon for those who visit Sabah, especially Keningau.
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“It is the responsibility of every indigenous community in this area to give an accurate explanation of the existence, history and origin of this Batu Sumpah to tourists who visit it,” he said during his briefing to Dayak delegates from Kalimantan Indonesia, Brunei, Sarawak and Sabah attending the Dayak International Justice Congress here.
Jeffrey, who is also Borneo Dayak Forum (BDF) President, said the Oath Stone guaranteed the rights of the indigenous people to practise their culture and customs.
He said its origin and relevance corresponds to the brotherhood and unity of the people of Borneo consisting of indigenous and Dayaks.
“We have agreed to set up a Dayak International Customary Council so that we can establish a customary law system across Borneo to be carried out in accordance with our cultural and community practices.
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“This Oath Stone has become a historic constitutional document for the establishment of Malaysia and that is why every year we respect and honour this Stone as a testimony of what was guaranteed by them (federal government) and carved in the Batu Sumpah, “he said.
Jeffrey noted that despite its importance, it was relocated from the previous place to the present without reference to all societies including leaders representing the ethnics group in this district.
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“We need to respect this Batu Sumpah to become our monument,” he said.
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