The KDMs lost much under Pairin
Published on: Sunday, December 03, 2017
Text Size:
It is strange that Huguan Siou Tan Sri Jospeh Pairin Kitingan should now blame other forces for fanning division among the Kadazan or Dusun generics when it was his own weakness that fragmented the community.
The one generic Kadazan would never been broken if Pairin, as paramount leader, possessed wisdom and firmness in handling the various issues that eventually divided the people, more so during the period when he was Sabah’s Chief Minister.
Pairin is contradicting himself when he said that the term Kadazan which was decided in 1961 should be used when all along he had been passive on the use of that generic.
He ought to remember that the decision to change from Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) to Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) in 1987 was only on the merger of KCA and the United Sabah Dusun Association (Usda) and was never aimed at changing the generic Kadazan which had already been accepted by most people.
I was informed prior to the AGM that year that the merger would see the dissolution of Usda but this never happened as most members of the Association were content with what they were and totally against the move.
Thus, when KDCA was adopted, Usda continued with its activities and I recall my opinion in Daily Express, that while the Federal Government was allocating funds to KDCA, a similiar allocation was also given to Usda thus making it double for them.
Pairin must also note that he is grossly mistaken in his claim that the adoption of the Kadazandusun generic re-united the people when it was during his tenure as Chief Minister that various tribes formed their own associations, and that the Pribumi term was also never fully forced during the Berjaya government.
It is therefore rather ridiculous that Pairin should now endeavour to promote unity among the tribes he is supposed to represent when all along he had never initiated any move to bring them together when he had the power to do so.
I am of the opinion that his move is nothing short of redemption in his twilight age, due maybe to the fact that his political party PBS, under Datuk Maximus Ongkili, may not be able to garner sufficient strength to retain their seats in the coming General Elections.
If Pairin is confident in his claim that some forces are creating division or confusion among the Kadazans, he should not hesitate to name such force or forces so that the tribes can know for themselves the issue before them and act accordingly.
I remember a statement in this Paper sometime early this year where Datuk Justine Stimol, a founder member of the KCA, claimed that the Kadazans were now languishing when they should be prospering.
Pairin never made any remark to Justine’s statement, a trait he adopted throughout his career.
The roadshow planned by KDCA is appreciated as it may rekindle the peoples hope, and also remind them of fairies and failure in upholding what the preivous leaders decided but the fact that Pairin failed in his leadership has to be accepted as the Kadazans lost so much under him.
Maybe he is now trying to salvage whatever hope he has of recognition knowing that his time is near, and possibly woken up through a recent report in this paper on candidates who would succeed him as Huguan Siou.
Whatever it is, Pairin has to know that the only force or forces dividing the Kadazans or his KDM generic are those KDM political leaders aligned to Barisan Nasional and not forces from the opposition, especially Party Warisan Sabah Kadazan leaders who are, in fact, struggling to unite the race for the good of Sabah.
M Ignatius
ADVERTISEMENT
