THE DAP KDM DECLARATION
KOTA KINABALU, SABAH
January 19, 2008
We, the people of Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) of Sabah, at a DAP Sabah KDM Convention in Kota Kinabalu on January 19, 2008 hereby CALL for:
*AN ALL-OUT COMMITMENT by the people of Sabah and Malaysia to end and eradicate the underclass status of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) people in Sabah and Malaysia as a result of Barisan Nasional administration and policies and to restore to the KDM community an equal and rightful place in Sabah and Malaysia.
Towards this end, the following KDM Declaration is dedicated:-
PREAMBLE
In 1994 state general election 14 years ago, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” with the following highlights:
• To reduce poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent to zero in the year 2,000;
• To eliminate illiteracy to zero in the year 2,000; and
• To eradicate corruption in Sabah;
• To give every Sabahan a house by the year 2,000; and
• To resolve the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah.
Every one of these “Sabah Baru” pledges have been broken and dishonoured, with the KDM community suffering even worse political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization to the extent that a 11-year-old Std. V Dusun pupil Donny John Dion committed suicide and hanged himself at home in Kampung Suangon in Papar parliamentary constituency because of abject poverty and marginalization of the KDM community.
END POLITICAL MARGINALISATION
When Umno entered Sabah, it promised equal political partnership and power-sharing in the state with the rotation of post of Chief Minister among the three major communities under a Barisan Nasional state government.
The new underclass status of the KDM is most apparent in the dishonouring of this power-sharing pledge, as in the past 14 years, the post of the Chief Minister had been held by a KDM for only a short period of nine months!
Can a KDM ever become a Sabah Chief Minister again?
WE CONDEMN THE BN GOVERNMENT FOR THE “DIVIDE AND RULE TACTIC” that split the KDM community politically.
WE DEMAND:
• LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION to restore to the KDM community grass-roots democracy and a fair and full participation in local government administration to end the abuses of local government political appointment system; and
• MORE SENIOR POSTS in the Federal Government Departments in Sabah.
END ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT MARGINALISATION
WE CONDEMN THE BN GOVERNMENT FOR ITS FAILURE TO BRING ABOUT POSITIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH, TO ERADICATE POVERTY, and most of all to uplift the living standard and well being of the KDM in the rural districts.
WE DEMAND THE GOVERNMENT:
• TO OPEN UP IDLE STATE LAND & YAYASAN SABAH LAND BANK FOR AGRICULTURE TO BENEFIT THE KDM COMMUNITY IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS and provide financial, skill training, and all the required assistance.
• TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE BASIC NEEDS OF THE KDM RURAL CHILDREN in their schools, infrastructure facilities, scholarship, health, and financial hardship.
END ETHNIC, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS MARGINALISATION
WE STRONGLY CONDEMN the statement made by the Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ali Rustam that “IT IS EASY TO BECOME MALAY” in showing utter insensitivity and disrespect to the KDM identity.
WE DEMAND that the Constitutional rights and guarantees on freedom of religion be fully honoured and respected with an end to the host of recent violations restricting and curtailing the fundamental liberties on freedom of religion guaranteed in the Constitution and the 20 Points on Sabah’s formation of Malaysia 44 years ago.
EMPHASIS must be given by the government to accord fair and equitable attention for the development of the KDM religion and beliefs in Sabah.
END CITIZENSHIP MARGINALISATION
WE CONDEMN THE BN FOR FAILURE TO RESOLVE THE LONG STANDING PROBLEM WITH THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WORKERS AND REFUGEES presence in Sabah which directly affect the livelihood and citizenship status of the KDM community.
WE OPPOSE the BN for granting THE REFUGEES HOLDING IMM13 and ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS with PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS (PR), and we DEMAND THE IMM13 to BE ABOLISHED, and BE DEPORTED.
WE STRONGLY OPPOSE SPR for allowing the use of the “Blue IC” (dubious identity) to vote in the election which had been declared invalid by JPN.
END SOCIAL MARGINALINATION
WE CONDEMN THE MUSHROOMING OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SQUATTERS COLONIES which are the ROOT CAUSE OF ALL SOCIAL ILLS and CRIMES in Sabah and DEMAND THESE ILLEGAL SQUATTERS TO BE DEMOLISHED.
WE CONDEMN THE INHUMANE TREATMENT (torching and chasing out) by the BN Government IN SABAH in dealing with the land issues involving THE LOCAL KDM LIVING IN THEIR ANCESTROUS GROUND.
WE CONDEMN the BN Government FOR RELOCATING OUTSIDERS OF OTHER RACES, BELIEFS, AND CULTURES INTO TRADITIONAL KDM KAMPONGS (eg. Kampung Maang).
WE THE KDM IN DAP HEREBY MAKE THE SOLEMN PLEDGE TO PERSEVERE IN THE RIGHTFUL AND JUST CAUSE TO to end and eradicate the underclass status of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) people in Sabah and Malaysia and to restore to the KDM community an equal and rightful place in Sabah and Malaysia.
Kanul said he lodged the report with the Karamunsing district police headquarters. Keadilan said the Mufti’s action went against the Federal Constitution which guaranteed the freedom of religion. He also urged the police and ACA to look into whether an abuse of power or corruption had occurred, believing that it was issued in relation to the stopped Mazu project that may have prompted Tan Sri Chong’s resignation from the State Cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister-cum-State Tourism and Environment Minister.
http://thieneleventhhour.blogspot.com/2007/12/worst-bigot-award.html
The KDM ought to jump down en masse from the tallest coconut trees they can find for believing in the “Sabah Baru†pledges of 1994. ( Very hard to find tall buildings there) In particular, those who deserted Joseph Pairin’s PBS should now be hunted down and shot like mad dogs
This is a difficult task, but one that need to be done.
All our best wishes for your success.
Understanding those people in the villagers with simple background and lifestyle (not to say that they are not intelligent), the following are simple tips that those political party can act on during their campaigns.
Do not create hatred against the present government but talk about simple policy that the government had gone wrong. Do not talk about FDI, stock market and all that. Do not talk about development like the WPI, Northern corridor, Southern corridor and all that. Talk about simple matters and simple issues that are close to their hearts. Make it simple. Justify in layman terms about issues that were wrongly handled by the government that affect the majority of them.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/1427/46/
To think that Sabah could have been a sovereign nation.
Excellent Declaration by the KDM Sabah..take note that then 1994 state general election 14 years ago, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru†with the following highlights:
• To reduce poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent to zero in the year 2,000;
• To eliminate illiteracy to zero in the year 2,000; and
• To eradicate corruption in Sabah;
• To give every Sabahan a house by the year 2,000; and
• To resolve the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah.
not even 1 are succesful..and now the situation even worst…hope this time the Sabahan can make the right vote for themselves, their community and also for Malaysia..
Saaaay!!! Go get rid of your Houguan Siou who has let you all down. He just got too plumb of late, you notice?? The good life while others suffer. Time for KDM to vote for others who will fight for you.
If the people of Sabah does not wake up from their slumber, B.N will rape and plunder their country until there is nothing left.Its time the people of Sabah kick UMNO out of Sabah and opt for PKR.
DAP should :
1. Fight for the Sabah’s 20-Point agreement. Especially religious freedom.
2. Maintain a high degree of autonomy of Sabah – West Malaysia, in case in future things don’t go well in Semenanjung…
3. Fight for the right to erect the Mazu statue in Kudat without question.
4. Zero in on corruption.
Sabahans,
Do yourself a favour, and vote out BN! Both in state and parliament! You can do it! You are more Bumiputra!
TDM, this Sabah Invasion or should it be called molestation is your brainchild. What do you have to say to the KDM people now, besides “I don’t remember”. But you have to remember this; what goes around, comes around. we are all god fearing people. Your prayers for repentance should be the order of your remaining days.
Illegal immigrants in Sabah/Sarawak have contributed to the economic growth of these two states. Those who have lived in these two states for longer than 10 years and own businesses for example should be given a path towards legalization.
It must be remembered that Chinese are not natives to Sabah/Sarawak. They were once immigrants. Their contribution to the economic development of the region cannot be denied.
Count Dracula,
Don’t talk economic contribution alone as this is the BN’s masking slogan which had blinding alot of the chinese to vote for them.chinese are politically unaware or rather unconcious,when umno politician talk about stability, development,and fund alocation for their school,they become self toxicated and unaware of all those thing are supposingly given at the very first time but was discriminatedly denied by the ketuanan.And I think the same is happening in sabah/sarawak. Where is our hero Pairin Ketinggan? he once shown his real ketuanan as he is the real bumiputra irrespective of muslim or non muslim since this is the umno(TDM) dirty political tactic to instigate disstability within the real bumi KDM religiously.
so there will be no such thing as sabah baru because the sabah baru already a happening history during PBS time,but no thanks to the monies politic and religious instigation of the umno.sabah baru disappeared.
And now, I wish the DAP KDM will generate some awareness within the sabah/sarawak real bumiputra and show your gut to make the change though it seems a bit too late.otherwise there will be no more margine at all.
Mycroft you r right it should be read as Heroine ,thanks for reminding.