KENINGAU: The district Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) branch is not amused over a pageant that went viral in social media showing several men dressed in women’s traditional costumes.
Keningau KDCA coordinator Rafie Robert said such events deviate from the natives’ traditions.
“It was a shameful event,” he said in a statement, Tuesday, referring to several men in female traditional costumes while others in contemporary dresses.
The competition was said to have been held in Keningau. Some netizens said such events are regular and held “just for fun” during Kaamatan celebrations in villages.
Rafie, a Central KDCA Supreme Council Member, said, as a true Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM), “we must preserve our traditions so that we can pass them down to the next generation.”
He reminded organisers not to use the KDCA logo or name indiscriminately without the involvement of KDCA.
In March, social media went abuzz when a man wore a female garb for a male Murut costume competition during the Kalimaran Festival in Tenom.
The participant wore a red tube top which women wear and was awarded first runner-up. Netizens also questioned the qualifications of the panel of judges for the competition, saying they did not know about traditional costumes.
