PENAMPANG: The Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) central committee has introduced its newly formed Youth Committee.

The new wing, KDCA Youth Committee is headed by Ceasar Mandela Malakun as chairperson, aided by deputy, Dr Douglas Mitchell Joinol Jr, and thee vice chairpersons, Aniq Nadzreen Amin, Tania Maria Tangit, and Steve Datuk Johny Mositun.

Other members include secretary, Aaroun Azra Leiking, and his assistant, Irene Chua Li Chiun, treasurer, Alexander Hugo Malakun assisted by Nicola Jayne Yasambun, Information Officer, Eric Bagang, assisted by Yannik Anuar.

Others are Sherylyn Selvester Sipining, Alexander Sylvester Chuan, Amanda Joyce M Allus, Dylan Andy Bongkos, Jackson James, Karen Christine Mijin, Travis Jingulam and Jane Chantal Pain.

Introducing the committee at the KDCA Triennial Delegates Conference 2015 yesterday, Mandela said they aspired to make KDCA more relevant to attract more participation from the youths.

?We aspire to uphold what has been set by the founders of KDCA, and we pledge to continue to bear the torch handed down by senior members of the association, and will bring it to greater heights,? he said.

The new KDCA Women Committee is headed by Joanna Kitingan. ? By Eric Bagang

(Source from New Sabah Times, 26th October, 2015)

PENAMPANG: Despite the trials and tribulations in its path, the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) has prevailed and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

Its president, Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan, said that the success of KDCA was the result of the hard work and cooperation of its members and the Kadazadusun Murut (KDM) community.

As a non-governmental organisation, Pairin said KDCA operated based on volunteerism and this was what the associations members had been doing all this while.

Speaking to reporters after officiating KDCAs triennial delegates conference here yesterday, Pairin said that the members were reminded of the associations successes in the past.

The successes may be small but the benefits are huge and enjoyed by all our members as well as the KDM community, he said.

When asked on KDCAs future halatuju, Pairin replied, as a whole KDCA not only wants to see the preservation of the KDM culture, it also wants to ensure that the language continues to be promoted, used, accepted by the government and taught in schools.

We also would like to see the government help out the KDM community as we want our people to enjoy positive economic development. We see this being done for the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and would like the KDM in Sabah to be accorded the same assistance, he stressed.

Pairin, who is the Deputy Chief Minister, reminded KDCA members to continue working together and contribute to the KDM communitys progress.

He extended KDCAs invitation to the KDM community to join the association as life members and also to become a shareholder of the Koisaan Koperasi Sabah Berhad so that they can progress and develop together.

In his speech earlier, Pairin called on KDCA members to continue to support its traditional institutions such as the Huguan Siou om Bulawan Dau (Huguan Siou institution), Moloingon Sukuon (Customary Rights Advisory Council), Moloingon Kampung (village head), bobolian (spiritual leaders), momorusap (herbal healers), mongingindapu (entrepreneurs) and moninundun ponompuan (spirit of joint welfare).

Pairin pointed out that as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and government encourage traditional and complementary medicine, KDCA has set up its traditional medicine unit.

This unit helps those in the community who practises traditional medicine and homeopathy to work with the Health Ministry, he said and urged all those who are practising in this field to register with the unit so that they can be assisted and guided in their registration as well as application of permit from the Health Ministry.

It is also imperative to preserve, conserve and rehabilitate our cultural heritage and the ancestral land left to us by our forefathers. Therefore we should use the technology we have now to do just that so that we can in turn pass it down to our future generations, he said.

With regards to the economic development of KDCA members, the association has set up the Koisaan Koperasi Sabah Berhad. Through the cooperative, KDCA has set up land banking and property development to ensure that land owned by its members and the KDM community do not end in the hands of others, he said.

(Source from The Borneo Post,?October 26, 2015, Monday)