Peter Pikul
LABUAN: Leaving out Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) representative in the Labuan Corporation Advisory Council is blatantly a show of discrimination and disrespect, said Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Supreme Council Member Peter Pikul.
Commenting on the recent appointment of its seven-member set up, he said the non-KDM representative in the line-up deprives the community from having a voice in the council.
“Not having at least a KDM representative in the local council blatantly and directly deprives the community a voice, particularly from the grassroots, in the affairs of the island, especially those touching on their well-being and welfare.
“This does not augur well not only for the community but inaccurately reflects the true and noble intention of the inclusive unity government,” he said in a statement today.
Furthermore, he said, leaving the KDMs out of the island’s affairs mainstream is insulting in view of the fact that the community has been an integral part (being part of Sabah until its federalisation in 1984) of Labuan’s population since time immemorial.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s intention of championing unity may have been given the wrong representation leading to the current state of affairs.
“As we believe in the Prime Minister’s sincerity in creating a Malaysia which is inclusive, fair and harmonious, we urge him to promptly seek a solution to this unfortunate development where a rightful community has been sidelined through no fault of their own,” he said.
