KUCHING, June 17: The insulting remarks likening the Unduk Ngadau pageant contest to an “exotic cattle show” is totally unacceptable and deplorable which also reflects the breaking down of social order and respect amongst people of different communities in Malaysia, condemned Dayak National Congress (DNC).
DNC president Paul Raja has expressed shock and disbelief that this type of statement can come from someone who is supposed to be educated and from the upper echelon of the society.
“Malaysia is now coming to 60 years old and we still have people who fail to understand the customs and respect the way of life of the different ethnic groups.
“If such statement can come from an educated person, what can we expect from the general population,” he said in a statement issued today.
Paul was referring to the insulting remarks on the Unduk Ngadau pageant made by the lawyer for Sabahan politician Phillip Among, who is facing five charges of outraging the modesty of two women, in his court submission for his client.
Lawyer Marcel Jude Joseph, in his three-page bail submission, had compared the annual harvest festival Unduk Ngadau pageant to an “exotic cattle show” and an “auction show”. This has angered and caused turmoil among the Dayak community.
On June 14, Marcel had apologised for uttering the degrading remarks, saying that he was merely doing his best as a counsel to obtain a lower bail for his client and that he did not utter or mention the paragraph containing those remarks in court, according to a news report by MalayMail.
Despite the apology, DNC however emphasised that a deep scar has been made by the attack and is reverberating throughout the whole of Borneo.
“This recent case is one of the many evidences of the breaking down of social order and respect amongst people of different communities.
“Besides that, it is also a reflection of the sad state of affairs now pervading the Borneo State of Sabah and Sarawak,” Paul pointed out.
With the Dayak Kadazan Dusun Murut Rungus (Dayak KDMR) community of Sabah have made know their displeasure and anger, he added that there still lingers around in the minds of the Dayak community of Sabah, Sarawak and even Kalimantan the treatment given to their community.
“As we have said, the Dayak community of Borneo have been and are always people of peace, courtesy, generosity and amiable.
“We have always played our parts and contributed our share to nations building. We have also made many sacrifices like any other communities.
“We hope that this type of mindless and insensitive statements meant to run down other people with no benefit except to stir sentiments must stop,” he added.
DNC thus said that they are in complete agreement and stand together with the stand and actions taken by Dayak KDMR community in Sabah. — DayakDaily
