KDM M'SIA SAYS SORRY; LETTER DELAYED

KOTA KINABALU : Non-governmental organisation KDM Malaysia on Sunday apologised for the technical error involving Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) regarding the institute of higher learning's link with the KDM Malaysia Idol 2013 that saw the latter denying any involvement in the reality programme.

Its President, Datuk Peter Anthony, said both the Ministry of Higher Learning and KDM Malaysia were supposed to send their letters to inform the UMS management of the event.

"But maybe there was delay in the letter being sent to the UMS administration and on behalf of the organisation, I would like to apologise if there was any misunderstanding," he told reporters after officiating at the first audition session of the KDM Malaysia Idol at Kg Kokol, Menggatal, Saturday.

He said KDM Malaysia would be sending another letter to UMS for consideration by the latter to allow the programme, which was endorsed by the Ministry of Higher Learning, to be held in the university's campus for six weeks.

The reality programme, he said, was organised not only to highlight the singing talent of the people from the Kadazan, Dusun and Murut communities but also to provide opportunity to the selected participants a six-week study module prepared by the Ministry of Higher Learning in UMS.

Anthony was responding to a statement by UMS Chancellery Department Head, No'man Haji Ahmad who denied UMS' involvement in the reality event.

No'man said the university had received negative reactions from parents and several NGOs that wanted it to state UMS' stand over the recent media report which stated it as also being involved in the reality programme.

Investigation, he said, showed that UMS has no form of collaboration, in written or verbally, with the reality programme organiser and was saddened to have been linked with such an entertainment programme.

Anthony, on the other hand, said the organisation chose UMS because of its prestige and strategic location.

"We also wished to promote UMS to the Kadazan, Dusun and Murut communities and hence we chose UMS as a location and venue to assemble the 50 finalists of the KDM Malaysia Idol for singing training as well as for the six-week study session," he said.

Anthony said if UMS is not keen to be part of the event, the organisation would have to seek another venue after consulting with the Ministry of Higher Learning or its panel of professors. (DE)