WHAT HAS KDCA GOT TO DO WITH PHILLIP AMONG’S ALLEGED OFFENCES?

14 June 2021

Phillip Among was arrested and detained for questioning.

His lawyer, in a plea for his release, instead of focusing on a professional plea for his client, deviated into defaming and shaming KDCA! What has KDCA got to do with his client’s alleged offences?

KDCA together with the Government organised the Online Kaamatan Celebrations, including the presentation of the Unduk Ngadau Beauty Contest, which is based on the Legend of Huminodun who saved people from famine and starvation, and became an exemplary personality and a fine model for our community to follow.

The Unduk Ngadau Contest is an attempt to emulate the love and beauty of Huminodun for her people every year during the Celebrations of the KadazanDusun Harvest Festival. The Contest is one of a noble objective in the search for a highly capable, skilful and loving personality in our community, and qualified in the Unduk Ngadau Contest for that year to be the shining example of Huminodun!

The Contest is ruled professionally by pre-accepted regulations and norms. Everything is above board to ensure the enjoyment and happiness of everyone following the event is held high and meaningful and the end result reflects the conditions and quality of Huminodun.

Marcel Jude as a lawyer has done the worst for his own profession, and stretching out beyond his professional boundaries and indulging in his personal attacks and defaming KDCA, as an association that has done everything possible in organising with the State Government professionally and in the best interest of the community, Malaysians generally, and the people of the world who thirsts for love, friendship, understanding and peace through programmes and traditional festival, such as the Tadau Kaamatan in Sabah the Land Below the Wind!

Since Marcel Jude has brought his shameful and defamatory statements into the public arena, he should be taken to task in the right manner and through the right channels, as he has not only offended KDCA directly but everyone else who are not only members of the Association and the community but also everyone who felt and share the negative and defamatory impact arising out of Marcel Jude’s statement or part of his plea in his presentation to the honourable court to obtain the bail release for his client, Philip Among.

First, his action must be reported to the Police, to ensure that nothing is taken out of context and that the Police has a record of the bad and unforgivable occurrence.

Second, an action by KDCA is warranted as Marcel Jude has shamed the innocent association and ridicule KDCA in no uncertain manner to the extent that it paints KDCA as a shameful association with evil intentions.

Third, in the context of our innocent and genteel community where the community tries to rise our people, especially our young girls to achieve a high standard in knowledge, education, love for their own traditions, just like other communities love their own customs and traditions and achieve a high standard in arts and skills in life and economy, it is unbelievable that Marcel Jude has gone down so low as to ignore the local customs and traditions of the KadazanDusun and literally “LANGGAR ADAT” which need to be compensated with the proper “SOGIT” by the Native Court another institution of justice found in this state Sabah.

Huguan Siou Tan Sri DSP Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan,

J.P. President, Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association, Sabah (KDCA)