Tuaran: The United Sabah Lotud Association (USLA) is open to working with other Lotud associations for the sake of Lotud progress.
In his speech at USLA’s first annual general meeting on Saturday, its founding president, Raymond Tombung, said that the association strongly objects to the accusations by some quarters here that USLA was formed to break up Lotud unity.
“USLA was formed and registered in 1988, that is 35 years ago, long before other Lotud bodies were created,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it was deregistered for some reasons. Now that we have revived USLA we are set to launch activities to help unte and develop the Lotuds in whatever ways we can afford.”
He said that USLA should be seen as an alternative channel for Lotuds to serve their community.
“There is no intention to compete with other Lotud associations,” he assured.
“In fact we have already started co-operating with other Lotud bodies, including the Sabah Suang Lotud Association (PSLS) and with the Unted Sabah Dusun
Association (USDA), in the efforts to repair and maintain the Lotud’s Adat Centre Adat in Kg. Selupoh, Tuaran.”
The Adat Centre was built with allocation by the state government during the PBS rule.
In the first AGM on Saturday the members decided not to hold any contest for posts until the Registrar of Societies approves the proposed constitutional amendments which were passed in the AGM.
The amendments will allow for USLA’s present committee membership to increase from the present nine to seventeen.
“I am thankful that the reception to USLA has been very encouraging with new membership applications still coming in after our registration less than two months ago,” Raymond said. “We look forward to being active with sufficient funding and increasing our membership within the next few months.”
