Kota Kinabalu: Members of Sabah’s largest indigenous ethnic group should continue using “Kadazan Dusun” as their collective identity, said Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) deputy president Datuk Joseph Paulus Lantip (
pic).
He said the term was already enshrined in the KDCA constitution and should remain the standard reference used in official matters and public discourse.
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Joseph said this during the registration of the State Randawi Tavantang Kaamatan (RTK) 2026 here on Saturday.
He said calls to introduce additional terms such as “KDMRS” would only complicate efforts to unify the community under a single identity.
Joseph said KDCA currently comprises 48 ethnic associations, making it impractical to list every ethnic group individually in official usage.
He said members could still use their respective ethnic identities such as Kimaragang, Rungus or Sungai within their families and communities, while continuing to identify collectively as Kadazan Dusun in public settings.
Joseph added that the Kadazan Dusun identity was already widely recognised internationally through Kaamatan celebrations and community activities held across Malaysia and abroad, and stressed that unity remained important in strengthening the community.
