The recent spat between Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan and his brother Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan does not bode well for Kadazandusun unity and progress. The blame game over the 1994 incident has not ended and has revealed the deep mistrust between the two famous brothers. If one would want to blame someone for causing the Kadazandusun to split after 1994, it would be the Kadazandusun leaders themselves. But Pairin did the right thing by conceding honourably to UMNO without causing any political instability. By doing this, Pairin had shown a statesmanlike attitude that earned him admiration among Sabahans. There is no point in blaming anyone for the 1994 incident as everyone was at fault. One could give 1001 reasons for the fall of PBS but at the end of the day, the losers are the rakyat—yes, you and me. Why? We supposed to elect leaders to represent us and solve our problems but we ended up seeing them fighting each other for MONEY and POSITION! Don’t you feel cheated and treated as a servile? The Kadazandusuns have experienced this not once but many times.
It is time for the Kadazandusun leaders to stop blaming each other and start looking forward to develop the Kadazandusuns. The State Assemblyman for Kadamaian Herbert Timbun’s response to Dr Jeffrey has further aggravated the war of words between the latter and his brother. Whether the Kadazandusun leaders realise it or not, the rakyat are now getting frustrated about the kind of politics that their leaders are playing. As Malaysia marches to achieve Vision 2020 and to become a developed country, attacking each other’s personality and character is no longer relevant. The younger generation is looking for leaders who can discuss policy and have ideas on how to develop the country. As a member of the Kadazandusun community (sort of), I do not see the Kadazandusun leaders are doing anything constructive to develop their community. The Kadazandusun leaders can go on with their brand of politics but the rakyat are watching them closely. To regain the confidence of the rakyat, the Kadazandusun leaders must get out of their comfort zone and start doing something constructive for the benefit of the Kadazandusun community.
First, stop the blame game about the reasons for the Kadazandusun to split. Pairin, Dr Jeffrey, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (and those who claim to represent the Kadazandusuns) have to set aside their ego and look for solutions to solve the plights of the Kadazandusuns. They must have a plan—a practical one at that—to ensure that the Kadazandusuns can contribute meaningfully to the development of the country. One thing that they must ask themselves is: where are the Kadazandusuns in spite of the “transformational mode” the country is now experiencing. They may have different political ideologies but for the sake of the Kadazandusuns, they must place the interest of the rakyat above anything else. Do the honourable thing and you will be remembered for the rest of your life!
Second, Kadazandusun leaders must stop talking about petty issues in the media such as those concerning a person’s personality and character. They must put their qualification and experience to good use such as debating policy and finding practical solutions to the problems faced by the rakyat. Character assassination is an outdated approach to politics in the 21st century. If the Kadazandusun leaders want to remain relevant, they have no choice but to subscribe to the political approach of the modern era. The younger generation whose votes are crucial in the upcoming election is now looking at leaders who are both technologically savvy and able to articulate issues affecting the public.
This letter is not intended to belittle the hardwork and dedication shown by some Kadazandusun leaders. Unfortunately, the number of committed and issue-oriented Kadazandusun leaders is very limited. Datuk Madius Tangau, a former MP for Tuaran and Datuk Donald Mojuntin, an MP for Penampang are some of the leaders young Kadazandusun leaders could look up too. They are many more who shun the media limelight and prefer to work unnoticed. The present Kadazandusun leaders must groom the young leaders and prepare a smooth transition plan for them. Again, do the honourable thing by preparing a way for the emerging leaders to contribute to the betterment of the Kadazandusuns. The future of the Kadazandusuns in Sabah looks gloomy. But it takes a simple step to make it bright again, that is, for all the Kadazandusun leaders to set aside their self interests and to unite the Kadazandusuns for the sake of progress.
