Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Dusunik Language Cultural Association (KBDS) paid a courtesy call on Head of State Tun Dr Musa Aman at Istana Kota Kinabalu to introduce the association, which has been officially registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) since Feb 28, 2022.
KBDS chairman Datuk Lawrence Gimbang said the association was established to preserve, promote and sustain the Dusunik language in its various dialects as an important part of Sabah’s cultural heritage.
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He said KBDS brings together educators and Dusunik language experts to achieve this objective through initiatives such as academic discussions, language workshops, consultancy services and language competitions in districts with large Dusunik-speaking communities, including Ranau, Tambunan, Tuaran, Keningau and Penampang.
During the meeting, KBDS also sought the Head of State’s support for its proposal to establish the Dusunik Language Foundation, which would raise funds to finance the association’s future programmes and activities.
Since its establishment, KBDS has organised several initiatives, including the Mother Tongue Language Collaboration Visit at the Kent Campus of the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) in Tuaran in 2022, as well as a workshop on developing Dusunik vocabulary books and storybooks in 2023.
This year, the association plans to organise the Boros Dusunik Community Programme in Tambunan to encourage greater use of the Dusunik language within the community.
KBDS also continues to provide Dusunik language consultancy services as part of its ongoing efforts to support the preservation and development of the language.
Also present during the courtesy call were Secretary-General Petrus Guriting, Assistant Secretary-General Noemi Justin, Assistant Treasurer-General Datuk Webley Disim, and committee members Dr Linah Bagu @ Siti Nurlina Abdullah, Sitiamah Haji Sahat, Soguli Olid and Constantine Anthony.
The courtesy call reflects KBDS’ commitment to strengthening the Dusunik language through collaboration with various stakeholders, ensuring that the language and its cultural heritage continue to be preserved and passed on to future generations.
