Kadazandusuns in Peninsular M’sia urged to promote unity
Monday, 7 April 2003 (Source: New Sabah Times)

KUALA LUMPUR: MP for Bandau Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili has urged the Kadazandusuns in Peninsular Malaysia to be ambassadors of their community, promote unity and help to strengthen national integration in the country.

Launching the Huguan Siou soccer competition at the Malaysian Armed Forces Academy sports complex in Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, he said there were about 30,000 Kadazandusuns either working in the public and private sectors or studying in the various states.

The competition, organised by the Klang Valley Branch of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) for the second successive years, was participated by 40 teams from various states and witnessed by some 600 supporters and KDCA members.

Ongkili, who is also KDCA vice-president, advised members of the community here to set up a network among themselves through the association to exchange information and news from their hometowns.

“Information exchange is important because there are numerous cases of youths leaving home to work in the peninsula and have not made contact with their parents ever since or after many years,” he said.

Similarly, he said many parents in Sabah reported problems when trying to contact their sons and daughters on urgent family matters because their children changed their addresses without informing their parents and relatives back home.

Ongkili said that besides the Sabah liaison office here, the KDCA Klang Valley could serve as the contact body for the members who should update their contact records.

“In this way, the association can assist them in a unique way in facilitating contact between the parents and their children, working or studying in the peninsula,” he said.

The KDCA Klang Valley coordinating committee is chaired by a prominent Sabah businessman in Kuala Lumpur, Richard Bainon, who can be contacted through the association’s website at www.kdca.org.my/kdcakv.