USLA supports call for return of English medium schools

TUARAN: The United Sabah Lotud Association (USLA) full-heartedly supports the call made by former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Rahman Dahlan, for the return of English medium schools.

USLA's president, Datuk Raymond Tombung, in a statement said it’s high time the long-standing issue is seriously addressed by the state and federal governments in view of the substantial decline in English mastery among Malaysians since the abandonment of the medium in schools in the 1970s.

“Poor English mastery is even reflected embarrassingly among political leaders, giving Malaysia a poor image at the international level,” Raymond said. “Hence, this situation should have long awakened the federal government into taking drastic action to reverse the trend.”

Raymond, who is also an Advisor to StarSabah, is also worried for the Gen-Ys of the natives who are now realising the critical importance of the English language and struggling to master it but having no proper avenue to hone their English-speaking skill.

“Because of this lack of proper learning source they are now speaking in broken English with cringy topsy-turvy grammar, losing out to non-natives in the job market and unable to continue their tertiary education abroad,” he pointed out. “Only those whose parents can afford to send their children to private schools are able to proceed to go to universities abroad.”

“I would urge all native NGOs to wake up to this need and fight loudly for the return of English medium schools for the sake of out Gen-Ys. We need to veer off from the current obsessive focus on cultural activities and look forward into the future with academic, intellectual and socioeconomic development. There is a need for balance between cultural preservation and education in the new age which is fast being dominated by new technologies such as artificial intelligence.

“We need to fully recognise that English as the world’s lingua franca is the vehicle to socioeconomic progress to move the natives upward to the level of being world citizens and leaders,” he said. “What we need now is a high-powered collective pressure from the native NGOs to call for the state and federal governments for the return of English medium schools. Such a change would benefit us meaningfully in the long run and would hopefully turn Sabah into a respected English-speaking state.

“Let us in one voice turn this legitimate desire into a strong and consistent political demand from our leaders,” he said.

*USLA sokong seruan Dahlan untuk kembalikan medium Inggeris.*

TUARAN: Persatuan Lotud Sabah Bersatu (USLA) memberikan sokongan penuh gesaan menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Rahman Dahlan agar dikembalikan sekolah medium bahasa Inggeris.

Presiden USLA, Datuk Raymond Tombung, dalam satu kenyataan berkata sudah sampai masanya isu lama ini diambil perhatian serius oleh kerajaan negeri dan persekutuan memandangkan penurunan ketara dalam penguasaan bahasa Inggeris di kalangan rakyat Malaysia sejak pengabaian penggunaan bahasa ini di sekolah-sekolah sejak tahun 1970-an.

"Kurangnya penguasaan bahasa Inggeris turut tercermin secara memalukan di kalangan pemimpin politik, yang memberi imej buruk kepada Malaysia di peringkat antarabangsa," kata Raymond. "Oleh itu, keadaan ini sepatutnya sudah lama menjadi kebimbangan kerajaan persekutuan untuk mengambil tindakan drastik untuk menebalikkan trend ini."

Raymond, yang juga seorang Penasihat kepada StarSabah, merasa bimbang mengenai keadaan generasi muda pribumi yang kini sedar akan kepentingan kritikal bahasa Inggeris tetapi menghadapi kesukaran untuk menguasainya kerana tidak ada sumber pembelajaran yang betul untuk meningkatkan kemahiran mereka bertutur dalam bahasa Inggeris.

"Kerana kekurangan sumber pembelajaran yang betul, mereka kini bertutur dalam bahasa Inggeris yang tidak sempunra dengan nahu yang menyedihkan. Maka mereka ketinggalan dalam pasaran kerja berbanding mereka yang bukanpribumi dan tidak mampu untuk meneruskan pendidikan tinggi di luar negara," katanya. "Hanya mereka yang ibubapa mereka mampu menghantar mereka ke sekolah swasta dpat melanjutkan pengajian ke universiti di luar negara."

"Saya menggesa semua NGO asal agar bangkit keada keperluan ini dan berjuang dengan lantang untuk pengembalian sekolah bermedium bahasa Inggeris demi kepentingan generasi muda pribumi. Kita perlu berpaling daripada terlalu fokus kepada aktiviti kebudayaan dan melihat ke hadapan ke arah pembangunan akademik, intelektual, dan sosioekonomi. Kita perlu memperseimbangkan usaha antara pemuliharaan budaya dan pendidikan dalam zaman baru yang semakin dikuasai oleh sains dan teknologi lebih-lebih dengan timbulnya kecerdasan buatan atau artificial intelligence (AI).

"Kita perlu mengakui sepenuhnya bahawa bahasa Inggeris sebagai lingua franka dunia adalah kenderaan kepada kemajuan sosioekonomi untuk memajukan pribumi ke tahap menjadi warga dan pemimpin dunia," katanya. "Apa yang kita perlukan sekarang adalah tekanan kolektif yang berkesan dari para NGO pribumi untuk meminta kerajaan negeri dan persekutuan agar segera dikembalikan sekolah medium bahasa Inggeris. Perubahan seperti ini akan memberi faedah yang bermakna jangka panjang dan diharapkan akan mengubah Sabah menjadi sebuah negeri bertutur bahasa Inggeris yang dihormati.

"Marilah kita bersuara bersama-sama demi mengubah impian yang cukup berasas ini menjadi tuntutan politik yang kukuh dan konsisten kepada para pemimpin kita," katanya.

NGOs say Prof James Chin's "10-Point Agreement" Reflects Failure of the Federation to Honour MA63

Prof James Chin proposed a "10-Point Agreement".

NGOs do not see any future for Sabah & Sarawak to remain in Malaysia

3rd December 2023

This is a joint statement by Sabah, Sarawak NGOs - namely Borneo Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopimafo), Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ), Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK):

Mssrs Daniel John Jambun, Robert Pei and Peter John Jaban, the respective presidents of the 3 NGOs and PBK President Voon Lee Shan have issued a joint statement commenting on Professor James Chin’s “10-point Agreement” calling for “re-affirmation” of Sabah and Sarawak secular and pluralist rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) on the occasion of the 60 anniversary of the shaky federation.

“Chin’s 10-point agreement calls for the dream and promise of the Federation of Malaysia for the people of Sabah and Sarawak to be fulfilled without delay; reaffirm Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with Malaya in the formation of the Federation of Malaysia; and reaffirm the unique status of the Borneo states under Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution, distinct from the 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia, as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement of 1963.

It also seeks to reaffirm that Sabah and Sarawak each possess exclusive territorial rights over the resources that are within their own territorial boundaries; reaffirm that every community in Sabah and Sarawak has the right to their distinct unique cultures and ceremonial expression, identity and language; reaffirm that Sabah and Sarawak as secular states, multi-religious society as promised by our forefathers; and reaffirm that all Sabahans and Sarawakians are equal citizens, and reject all forms of racism, religious intolerance, and supremacist ideology.” (quote: Borneo Post 30/11/23)

They noted that the Professor had summed up the widespread dissatisfaction of the people with the multiple and continuing violations of their fundamental MA63 rights by the Malaysian Federal government over 60 years. These have remained unfulfilled “dreams” and illusions.

They include the illegal alteration of the MA63 secular, pluralist and multicultural concept of Malaysia, Borneonisation, autonomous self-government, religious freedom, denial of citizenship and failure to develop and advance Sabah and Sarawak as agreed. This is starkly heightened by the lopsided economic development whereby Malaya has been developed with Sabah and Sarawak resources particularly oil and gas, while they have been left backward and impoverished with little progress even in basic structures and amenities.

The unhappiness recently flared up over the TV Sarawak’s Christmas Carol programme which rejected the Association of Churches in Sarawak’s (ACA) request to include the song “O Holy Night” in the programme because of official policy excluding “religious elements”. The ACA declined to join the celebration and issued a statement strongly criticising the censorship and asserting the religious freedom and secular nature of Sarawak society. This received popular support throughout Sarawak and the TV station management quickly backed down on the exclusion of the song.

In Sabah, there is a similar dissatisfaction over the failure to honour MA63 founding terms such as the MA63 stipulated payment of (Art 121D) 40% entitlement to annual tax revenue among many other issues especially lack of development, poverty and the “illegals” issue.

The NGOs and PBK presidents said, however, that it is doubtful that the re-affirmation would have any impact on the Malayans who have evaded honouring the MA63 for 60 years as exemplified by the denial of Sabah’s MA63 40% entitlement.

They said that the concept of a secular, pluralist and multicultural political system was one of several key basic or foundational terms for Sabah and Sarawak to give up real independence for Malaysia. However, this concept has since the implementation of the New Economic Policy in 1971 been altered and replaced with an institutionalised race religion supremacist (Ketuanan Melayu) apartheid.

Further, it is unlikely that even if the Unity government agreed with the 10 Points, it would be able to gain any support from the Opposition which is made up of committed race religion fundamentalists sworn to dismantle the secular concept and replace Malaysia as an Iranian or Afghanistan style Islamic Caliphate and Constitution. The same people have declared that “Malaysia belonged to the Malays”.

Mr Voon the PBK president said that it was ironic the Professor had previously criticised PBK for seeking legal advice from a foreign lawyer who declared that Malaysia was a fraud. 

He said that the professor's 10-point call for re-affirmation of Sabah Sarawak rights in reality confirmed that Malaysia was created with promises which never fulfilled or have been removed and therefore were misleading and a fraud. 

He cited the British colonial office as having commented with concern in 1963 that the Malayans' promise that SS would have "accelerated development" in Malaysia was a "false prospectus". 

Mr Voon who filed a suit in the High Court of Borneo in 2021 to declare MA63 invalid, said the process of making MA63 was riddled with illegalities and deceit. 

Legal analysis of the making of MA63 has proven that it was, in fact, a null and void agreement from the beginning. This was because Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak were still British-controlled colonies and not sovereign states with the legal capacity or competence to make international agreements. This view is supported by the International Court of Justice decision in the Chagos case 2019 and affirmed by the Mauritius vs. Maldives case iin 2021.

If MA63 was a validly made international treaty, it would have been terminated under International law, by the multiple violations of foundational and basic terms of the agreement and rendered it no longer binding. Either way, Sabah and Sarawak have the opportunity to seek independence which would free them to determine their own political destiny and social and economic development without foreign control.

The joint statement pointed out that the 20 and 18 Points were not binding agreements but just an expression of the people's desired terms for the federation. They said that there is no evidence of the agreements being signed with the UK or Malayan governments. According to the British colonial officials, the Sarawak 18 Points were never provided to them. They noted some of Sabah's Points like the "No State religion" stipulation was included in the Federal Constitution.

They questioned whether it was realistic to re-affirm the unfulfilled promises and prolong a union without meaning and benefit when it is so obvious that the agreed objectives of MA63 were never fulfilled but in fact, abandoned for 60 years. They said Sabah and Sarawak should look at the alternative solution of seeking an exit from the failed union.

They called on the respective Sabah and Sarawak state governments to seek a review of SS's position in Malaysia after the PAS party repeatedly rejected the concept of Malaysia as a secular country and the federation's failure to honour what was promised. It is widely anticipated that the PAS fundamentalist party will implement its Islamic Caliphate when it wins power and controls the Malaysian Parliament in a couple of elections time. The NGOs said the review of MA63 (if valid) would be timely and it was essential since it has already long been terminated by multiple breaches of fundamental terms for federation.

Sabah and Sarawak must seek lawful and peaceful means to Decolonise itself and work towards sovereign Independent nations. 

End of Statement  

Signed by 

Daniel John Jambun  Bopimafo President 

Robert Pei SSRANZ President

Peter John Jaban SAS founder

Voon Lee Shan PBK President

3 December 2023

SSPR sokong tindakan MP Sabah yang menegur Perdana Menteri tidak mengembalikan 40% cukai sebaliknya memberi tawaran lain lebih kecil

Jalibin Paidi (kiri), aktivis masyarakat yang juga Presiden SSPR

Oleh Jalibin Paidi, 3-12-2023

1. Tahniah kepada semua MP Sabah yang berani dan komited menuntut perlaksanaan hak-hak dan kuasa merdeka Sabah dalam Persekutuan Malaysia.

2. Selepas setahun, nampaknya PMX sebiji sama dengan semua PM sebelum ini yang menidakkan hak-hak Sabah.

3. Malah, DS Najib jauh lebih baik dalam beberapa perkara apabila berkaitan Sabah.

4. Kegagalan PMX mematuhi keperluan Perlembagaan berkaitan hak 40% benar2 mengecewakan.

5. Kita tunggu pula kesudahan tuntutan Sabah Sarawak supaya 35% kerusi MP diperuntukkan buat dua Wilayah ini.

6. GPS dan GRS perlu buat ketetapan bersama mendesak ditunaikan hak 40% dan 35% dalam tempoh tertentu.

7. Kegagalan PMX memenuhi tuntutan bermaksud GPS GRS perlu tarik sokongan dan memilih PM yang mematuhi Perlembagaan.

Sabah Sarawak boleh.

Sabah Sarawak bukan milik Malaya.

Jalibin Paidi,

Presiden

Satu Semangat Perjuangan Rakyat (SSPR), dan

Aktivis Masyarakat

Govt should allot some fund for cultural documentation in Budget 2024, says USLA

TUARAN: The United Sabah Lotud Association (USLA) here is making an urgent appeal to the state government to set aside part of the Budget 2024 for an urgent cultural documentation.

USLA’s president, Datuk Raymond Tombung, said the need to record the cultural heritages of the original peoples of Sabah is paramount in view of the fast disappearance of their practitioners.

“The most urgent of these is the recording down of the chants of the traditional priestesses or bobohizans or tantagas in Lotud,” he said. “There are so few of them who are still alive that soon they will none left to recite the chants that have been part of native life since time immemorial. The new generation may have  different spiritual adherences and beliefs but the priestesses deserve respect and consultation for their connection to our distant and forgotten past.

”While the younger generations now have converted to new religions, the ancient linguistic and spiritual proficiency of the priestesses are fertile sources of knowledge for people in the modern age,” he added. “Specifically, the chants of the priestesses are languages containing a massive amount of obscure and magical words which, if studied, will definitely enrich the modern mother tongues.“.”

Raymond pointed out that since the native mother tongues are now disappearing due to being supplanted by Malay and English, the effort to preserve them should be enhanced by adopting many beautiful words and expressions from the chants.

“The revival of traditional arts and crafts, music and dances is easy, but languages when lost is almost impossible to revive,” Raymond said. “Hence there is an urgent need to document the chants to strengthen the sporadic language revival efforts going in some places in Sabah.

“The problem is that documentation work is tedious, taking many years and very expensive to undertake, especially by non-professionals. This is the reason why this important work has been done only intermittently and neglected since a long time,” Raymond pointed out. “Because of this, the role of the government, maybe through the state Cultural Board, is critical in launching a full state-funded, and long-term, research project for cultural documentation.”

Versi Bahasa Malaysia:

KERAJAAN PERLU SEGERA LANCAR PROJEK DOKUMENTASI BUDAYA - USLA

TUARAN: Persatuan Lotud Bersatu Sabah (USLA) di sini merayu kepada kerajaan negeri untuk memperuntukkan sebahagian daripada Bajet 2024 bagi dokumentasi budaya yang kini sangat mendesak.

Presiden USLA, Datuk Raymond Tombung, menyatakan keperluan untuk merakam warisan budaya orang asal Sabah adalah penting memandangkan para pengamalnya semakin cepat hilang.

"Yang paling mendesak adalah merakam mantera tradisional atau rina’it para bobohizans atau dipanggil tantagas dalam budaya Lotud," katanya. "Sudah tinggal sedikit sahaja mereka  yang masih hidup, dan tidak lama lagi tiada daripada mereka yang tinggal untuk menzikirkan mantera kuno yang telah menjadi sebahagian daripada kehidupan pribumi  sejak zaman purba. Generasi baru mungkin mempunyai agama dengan kepercayaan rohani yang berbeza tetapi para tantagas tersebut layak mendapat penghormatan dan penghargaaan kerana ilmu merek dan pertalian mereka dengan masa lampau yang sudah jauh di belakang dan dilupakan oleh kita.

"Walaupun generasi muda kini telah menukar kepada agama baru, kecekapan bahasa dan spiritual yang kuno dari para tantagas tersebut adalah sumber pengetahuan yang kaya bagi kita orang di zaman moden," tambahnya. "Secara khusus, rina’it mereka adalah bahasa yang mengandungi banyak perkataan yang indah, luarbiasa dan mistik, yang jika dikaji dan direkodkan, pasti akan memperkayakan bahasa ibunda moden."

Raymond menekankan bahawa kerana bahasa ibunda kini semakin lenyap kerana digantikan oleh Bahasa Melayu dan Bahasa Inggeris, usaha untuk mengekalkannya perlu diperkukuhkan dengan mengambil banyak perkataan dan ungkapan yang indah dari rina’it tersebut.

"Penghidupan semula seni tradisional seperti kraftangan, muzik dan tarian adalah mudah, tetapi bahasa, apabila telah hilang hampir mustahil untuk dihidupkan semula," kata Raymond. "Oleh itu, terdapat keperluan yang mendesak untuk mendokumentasikan rina’it tantagas bagi memperkukuhkan usaha-usaha pemuliharaan bahasa yang sedang berjalan di beberapa tempat di Sabah.

"Masalah besarnya ialah, kerja mendokumentasi memerlukan banyak tenaga, mengambil masa bertahun-tahun, dan sangat mahal untuk dilakukan oleh orang-orang bukan profesional. Inilah sebabnya mengapa kerja penting ini telah dilakukan hanya secara tidak konsisten, malah terabai sejak begitu lama," jelas Raymond. "Oleh kerana itu, peranan kerajaan untuk mendokumentasi warisan budaya, mungkin melalui Lembaga Kebudayaan Negeri, adalah penting dalam melancarkan projek penyelidikan penuh yang dibiayai oleh kerajaan negeri, secara jangka panjang.”#

Profesor dari Sabah berjaya daftarkan Sabah International University (SIU) di US dan bakal ambil pelajar pertama tahun depan

 

Oleh Jayden Lisando, 30-11-2023

PUTATAN : Siapa kata anak tempatan Sabah tidak boleh menubuhkan pusat pengajian tinggi antarabangsa? Prof Dr Ariffin Willie Muhamad, tokoh pendidikan Sabah sukses mendaftarkan Sabah International University (SIU) di Amerika Syarikat !

SIU yang berpejabat di California ini beroperasi sebagai universiti yang mengaplikasi "blended pedagogy", milikan sepenuhnya syarikat Sabah, dijadual mula menawarkan beberapa kursus peringkat Sijil dan Diploma sehingga Master tahun depan.

Prof Dr Ariffin anak kelahiran Sandakan memberitahu Borneo Herald baru-baru ini, SIU ditubuhkan di Amerika Syarikat kerana Malaysia tidak lagi membenarkan pendaftaran sebarang universiti atau kolej sejak 15 tahun ini.

"Apa yang saya buat adalah untuk masa depan generasi kita. Kita akan menawarkan kursus yang relevan kepada orang Sabah dan industri di sini seperti pelancongan, pengurusan perniagaan, perladangan dan juga sains politik.

"Institut Kemahiran Sabah (IKS) yang saya terajui selama ini akan menyambut kursus SIU di Sabah dan kita akan menjalankan kombinasi pembelajaran dalam kelas, secara online dan juga praktikal," katanya ketika ditemui di pejabat IKS di Putatan dekat Kota Kinabalu.

Menurut Prof Dr Ariffin, pihaknya berjaya mengenal pasti barisan pasukan yang mantap dan bersemangat untuk pengurusan universiti, komiti akademik dan komiti senat.

Katanya penubuhan SIU disambut baik oleh beberapa rakan akademiknya dari Sabah dan juga Semenanjung yang telah menyatakan kesediaan mereka untuk menyumbang pengalaman dan kepakaran mereka sama ada sebagai pasukan pengurusan, penasihat mahupun tenaga pengajar.

"Saya juga memanggil rakan-rakan termasuk aktivis Sabah terutama mereka yang memiliki idea-idea menarik untuk pembangunan awal SIU. Saya yakin dengan sokongan ramai, SIU akan berjaya sebagai institusi pendidikan tinggi Sabah yang boleh dibanggakan nanti," katanya konfiden sambil menambah kos penubuhan SIU sejak 2022 ditanggungnya sendiri setakat ini.

Prof Dr Ariffin Willie Muhamad (kanan) turut memanggil aktivis Sabah seperti Kanul Gindol, dalam sesi percambahan idea untuk Sabah International University. Kanul adalah salah seorang pelajar PhD Sains Politik kendalian Prof Ariffin dari sebuah universiti Amerika.

Menurut Prof Dr Ariffin, SIU pada tahun-tahun permulaan akademiknya dijadual menawarkan kursus peringkat sijil kemahiran yang mengambil masa hingga enam bulan dan diiktiraf oleh kerajaan Malaysia sebelum menawarkan kursus peringkat Diploma dalam enam bidang iaitu pengurusan perhotelan, pentadbiran perniagaan, teknologi komunikasi dan informasi, pendidikan awal, sains politik dan pentadbiran awam.

Enam kursus ini akan dikendalikan menerusi empat sekolah atau jabatan iaitu sekolah perniagaan, sekolah pengurusan (hotel dan pelancongan), sekolah kemanusiaan dan sains sosial, serta sekolah teknologi maklumat.

"Saya yakin SIU akan berkembang dari setahun ke setahun kerana kita juga mengenal-pasti rakan kolaborasi dengan agensi kerajaan dan pemain industri atau pihak swasta yang bersedia bekerjasama dengan SIU dalam menyediakan atau memperkasa tenaga kerja di Sabah," katanya lagi.

Prof Dr Ariffin menaruh harapan SIU sebagai pusat pengajian jarak jauh dan terbuka, pada suatu hari nanti mengeluarkan graduan bermutu tinggi, dan akan membuka laluan kepada lebih ramai pelajar bukan saja Sabahan tapi dari pelbagai negara untuk mendapatkan pendidikan.#