KOTA KINABALUÂ — The Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) has demanded apologies from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Ranau division and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the conferment of the ‘Huguan Siou’ title to the PKR adviser for it touched on Kadazandusun’s cultural sensitivities and sacred beliefs.
KDCA secretary-general Suman Yasambun said the Huguan Siou or paramount chief title was exclusively reserved to a Kadazandusun Murut leader, and culturally inappropriate and illegal to be bestowed on a non-Kadazandusun Murut.
“It has insulted and hurt the feelings of the Kadazandusun community. In fact, it is an act that will bring the curse upon a person or persons who usurp the leadership structure within the Kadazandusun community, especially in relation to the institution of Huguan Siou,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
Anwar has drawn a flak when he accepted the Huguan Siou or paramount chief of Malaysia title bestowed on him by Ranau PKR head Jonathan Yasin three days ago.
Suman described Huguan Siou was an institution that embodied the community’s spirit of unity, courage and self-determination.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the title was sacred to the Kadazadusun Murut community and should only bestowed on those from the community.
He said the person who bestowed the title was probably trying to gain a political mileage and it was unbecoming of Anwar to accept it for he had been in politics and government for years.
Masidi said any action deemed to belittle the Huguan Siou institution would undermine Sabah’s cultural heritage and political agenda should not override the interests of Sabahans.
