Kadazan Society Sabah (KSS,) or Sinompuuvan Kadazan Sabah, members don’t want to disappear altogether under the umbrella terms KadazanDusun and KadazanDusunMurut advocated by the KDCA (KadazanDusunMurut Cultural Association).

They want to preserve the 'Kadazan' (shopkeepers or town dwellers) term and entity which emerged gradually from the migration of the rural-dwelling 'Dusun' (orchard keepers) to the towns.

This is one of two major developments that emerged from the 1st KSS triennial delegates conference over the weekend in Kota Kinabalu.

KSS members lament the fact that when the KCA (Kadazan Cultural Association) renamed itself as KDCA (KadazanDusun Cultural Association) on 5 Nov, 1989, delegates did not realize that the word “Kadazan” would disappear with the stroke of a pen when a resolution was passed to substitute the word with KadazanDusun instead. However, the Dusun continued to exist as a separate entity under the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA).

(There is a separate cultural association for the Murut who are not related to the Murut of Sarawak. The Murut of Sarawak, who consider the term derogatory, prefer to be known as Lun Bawang and are related to the Lun Dayeh of Sabah.)

KDCA elders counci non-political

In addition, the Sino-Kadazans through KSS have resurrected their struggle for official recognition as natives of Sabah exactly 55 years after they first made this their most important cause on 24 Aug 1953 as the Society of Kadazans Penampang. (SOCP).

SOCP was renamed Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) in 1963 and subsequently emerged as KDCA on Sept 25, 1991 – the KCA resolution was dated 5 Nov 1989 - “to paper over the split within the community” caused by the emergence and renewed vigour of the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA).

joseph pairin kitingan 010706 These dates are given by KDCA chief and Huguan Siou (paramount chief) Joseph Pairin Kitingan, a Dusun himself. However, Patrick Michael, the chairperson of the KDCA Council of Elders, remembers KCA’s birthdate as 29 April 1966.

“We are in a better position to help resolve this problem (Sino-Kadazans not being considered natives) since we are completely non-political,” said Marcel Leiking who was returned unopposed on Sat (Oct 25) as the KSS president at its 1st triennial delegates conference. The matter has been raised in the past by several political parties.”

KSS, registered on 19 May 2006 and inaugurated on 27 Jan 2007, prohibits members holding positions in political parties from serving in its supreme council.

According to Leiking, KSS will submit a ‘Memorandum on the Problem of Non-Recognition of Sino-Kadazans as Natives of Sabah’ to the state government as soon as possible.

The memorandum, added Leiking, is in response to Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman’s public statement late last month for suggestions on resolving the problem.

Musa had been responding to related issues that arose after the spotlight was thrown on the problem-plagued State NRD (National Registration Department) amidst the discovery that not all Sabahans are Malaysians.

Previously, Sino-Kadazans and Sino-Natives among others had to get a declaration from the Native Court on a case-by-case basis that they have native status. Successful candidates were issued with a Sijil Anak Negeri (SAN).

Following the discovery of various abuses, the state government froze all applications for the SAN some years ago and “lifted the freeze as an interim measure” in October last year.

The birth certificate

Children of mixed parentage who can be considered for “native status” are Sino-Kadazan or Sino-Dusun, Indian-Kadazan or Indian-Dusun, Sino-Murut, Pakistani-Bajau, American-Murut, English-Brunei, Arab-Idahan, Filipino-Kadazan and “other cases which can be considered on a case-by-case basis”.

They can apply for a verification letter, not a Native Certificate, from the Sabah Native Court “to enable them to enjoy privileges that are meant only for the Bumiputera”.

This is a temporary measure announced on Oct 11 last year by the Local Government and Housing Ministry which oversees the Office of the Director of Sabah Native Affairs who is also the Secretary of the Sabah Native Affairs Council.

“Clear-cut” cases can apply direct from the Director of Sabah Native Affairs for the verification letter.

An example of a clear-cut case, according to Local Government and Housing Minister Hajiji Noor in his 11 Oct 2007 announcement, “is that one parent of the applicant is a native whose race is clearly stated in the birth certificate, or whose Native Certificate (NC) has been certified by the Native Court which issued it in the first place, and duly checked by the Director of the Sabah Native Affairs Office”.

Elsewhere, KSS hopes the state government will approve its application for 100 acres of land near the agriculture research station in Penampang, in Kota Kinabalu, for the development of a Kadazan cultural village.

“The proposal is in tandem with KSS’ objective to develop and preserve the tradition and customs, culture, economy and language of the Kadazans,” said Leiking.