Kota Kinabalu: The term “Momogun” has been proposed as a shared identity for Sabah’s indigenous groups, replacing the acronym “KDMR”, referring to Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus, which is seen as insufficiently inclusive.
Sabah Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Chief Executive Officer, Prof Datuk Dr Ramzah Dambul, said the KDMR acronym should be reassessed as it is viewed as systemically marginalising certain ethnic groups.
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He explained that the term is dominated by representation from the Dusunic cluster, including Kadazan and Dusun, and the Murutic group, such as Murut, but lacks representation from the Paitanic cluster, including the Sungai community.
“The proposal is strongly supported by a resolution from the Momogun Convention in August 2024, where 74 ethnic associations across Sabah agreed to adopt ‘Momogun’ as a common identity.
“As such, ‘Momogun’ should be elevated as a more generic, equitable and inclusive umbrella identity to unite the three main clusters - Dusunic, Murutic and Paitanic - without discriminatory sentiment,” he said.
The term “Momogun” refers to original inhabitants, landowners or early settlers, derived from the old local word “Pogun”, meaning ancestral land. It is also broadly equivalent to “indigenous” or “native” in English.
Sabah is home to 35 indigenous groups and more than 200 sub-ethnic communities, speaking over 50 languages and around 90 dialects.
Ramzah, a former deputy vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, stressed that adopting the term would not erase distinct ethnic identities.
“Communities will still identify with their respective groups, such as Dusun Bundu, Rungus or Lundayeh. ‘Momogun’ serves only as a unifying label, replacing KDMR, which does not reflect Sabah’s unique socio-cultural diversity,” he said.
From a public policy perspective, he said, unifying communities under the Momogun identity is crucial as a common denominator in national demographic statistics.
Ramzah also likened the move to the successful grouping of “Orang Asli” in Peninsular Malaysia and the “Dayak” identity in Sarawak.
He said that consolidating diverse sub-ethnic groups into a larger, unified data category would enable more accurate and effective policymaking.
“It would facilitate targeted allocation of resources and interventions, particularly in addressing rural poverty, economic access and educational opportunities in Sabah,” he stressed.
Therefore, he called on the Kadazandusun Cultural Association to formally recognise the term “Momogun” to lend institutional legitimacy to the grassroots resolution.
“Such recognition would not only foster a more harmonious Kaamatan Festival this month, but also create space for more holistic policy governance for Sabah’s indigenous communities in the future,” he added.
