Study of Sabah Ethnic Languages Should Be Supported Through State Government Scholarships

21 February 2026

PENAMPANG: The study of Sabah’s ethnic languages at university level should be supported through the provision of the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) to students who choose to pursue these courses.

Deputy Chief Minister III, Datuk Ewon Benedick , said such support should be introduced as an incentive to encourage students to select this field of study and subsequently become teachers of the subject in schools.

At present, the Kadazandusun language is already part of the national education curriculum and is taught in primary and secondary schools in Sabah, while efforts to introduce four additional ethnic languages, Kadazan Tangaa, Murut Timogun, Dusun Lotud and Tatana, are being refined, said the Minister who is also the Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Transport ( MINDET).

“I will submit to the Chief Minister of Sabah and the Cabinet meeting the need to support the teaching of these ethnic languages through the provision of the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) to students pursuing their studies at universities such as Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), which offer these programmes."

“This can serve as an incentive for students to choose this field and subsequently become teachers of the subject in schools."

“I am confident that with the cooperation of various parties, we will be able to ensure the sustainability of Sabah’s ethnic mother tongues,” he said.

Ewon said this when met by the media after officiating at the International Mother Language Day celebration organised by the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF) at Dewan Huguan Siou, Kg Tuavon, here today.

He also launched the Kadazan–Malay–English Webonary, which compiles 36,673 Kadazan language entries and 29,387 Malay language entries.

Ewon approved an allocation of RM100,000 from his allocation as Member of Parliament for Penampang and from the KKIP Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund to support KLF’s efforts to develop Sabah’s ethnic mother tongues.

He also agreed to channel RM50,000 to the Sabah Ethnic Languages Association (PBES) to develop more educational materials for the four ethnic languages proposed for introduction in schools.

Also held during the celebration was the Tan Sri Bernard G Dompok (TSBGD) Literary Award Presentation ceremony for the winners of the Kadazandusun language novel competition organised by KLF.