Kota Kinabalu: The Momogun National Congress (MNC) said Datuk James Ratib’s proposal to add the letter “S” to the current KDMR name of Sabah’s indigenous community to represent the Orang Sungai, needs further discussion.
Its president, Tan Sri Wences Angang (pic) believes the proposal made at the Paitan Kaamatan celebration on Friday was in sincerity and good faith, but would not solve the “long-standing confusion about a proper name for our community”. “In fact it will only lead to more such proposals,” he said.
He said an additional letter to KDMR would be a fulfilment of the old prediction of the string of four letters getting extended to no end.
“The immediate response to the proposal from people now is, why not just include even more letters to represent all the other indigenous groups such as K for the Kimaragangs, L for the Lotuds, T for the Tatanas and Tobilungs, G for the Garos, and so on?” he said. “But that will make the name even more complicated.”
He reminded that assigning a letter string as a group name for a people has no similar practice anywhere, has actually no historical, traditional or cultural justification, adding that it is not a name at all.
Since 1963, we have pushed various names - Dusun, Kadazandusun, KDM and now KDMR and still fail to agree on one that truly unites us,” he said.
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“MNC has made a declaration signed by 77 native NGOs to adopt “Momogun” as a name to replace “Lain-lain” in government forms and as a name for our indigenous group.
There is no reason to disagree with this group name because it has a history, has a cultural meaning, context and history, one that was in use since even before the 19th century.”
Wences, a former Deputy Chief Minister, said MNC is making courtesy calls on various assemblymen and state leaders, to explain MNC’s ratinale in making the resolution to adopt “Momogun” through a Momogun Declaration signed by 77 Momogun NGOs.
“We will also be seeking to have audience with our Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Hj Noor and the Huguan Siou Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan he said.
