KDM COMMUNITIES IN RUIN?

By : SIBOI BUNSIDANG

I WAS reading an article in a national tabloid on the illegal immigrants in Sabah and the question, “whether the KDM communities are just another embattled minority pushed increasingly into the periphery” roused concern as well as anger in me.

The article was centered at Penampang, and rightly so for it is the heartland of the Kadazans or Dusuns, and I can’t help wondering when the government would act on the torments of the Community as well as that of other genuine Malaysians in Sabah posed by the continued presence of the illegal immigrants, more so with those that had been given citizenship through certain exercises.

I am a Kadazan in Penampang and some years ago it was common for me and others around the town to know who the people in our Donggongon town were.

Now, if one was to go to the newly constructed Megalong centre, one will notice that of the ten people that pass by almost all of them would be faces that were once alien in the district.

I can’t help feeling angry at the silence of the government in answering the numerous calls for the setting up of a RCI on the subject which tends to give more credence to the peoples’ assumption that the issue of documents to immigrants holds water.

As a native, and a citizen, concerned on the blatant disregard of my State and Country’s sovereignty, I am hoping that the people would rally against this crime when the General Elections come so that appropriate actions can be taken to ameliorate the situation.

Malaysians in Sabah had been taken for granted for too long already, more so when we are considered as fixed deposit alongside neighboring Sarawak, and the time for a certain change has to be grasped so that a new set of leaders could be emplaced and hopefully rectify the situation.

The coming General Elections is therefore of extreme importance for all Malaysians in Sabah, especially the KDM Communities, as it will determine once and for all the real issue that had endangered the stability of the State, i.e., the legalization of illegal immigrants for the sole purpose of securing votes.

KDM’s, especially those wanting change, must rally behind one political party only as any split in votes could only retain what had been the source of the problem here.

It is true that the KDM’s had been shortchanged in so many issues as expressed by STAR leader Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, but the fact is that unity among the opposition minded voters must strongly prevail.

We cannot hope to unseat the ruling coalition if we continue to be divided among so-called opposition political parties for as proven in the past general elections, the total number of votes cast for the opposition easily outnumbered those for the government.

On the position of KDM’s, we do have this realization that our rights need to be restored and for this restoration it has to be from the strong voice of our leaders in the government, as rightly opined again by Dr. Jeffrey.

But, it has to be emphasized that the only mean to achieve the dream of restoration is through the change in government and this can come only when the community unite under one banner.

Let the banner for now be the PR so that the answer to the above question can be effectively addressed.