Native row: Should they be called Orang Ulu?
Joseph TawiePublished: Jun 20, 2009 10:32 AM | Updated: Jun 20, 2009 10:37 AM
A major disagreement over the use of the term ‘Lun Daya’ instead of the official ‘Orang Ulu’ is threatening to split the native community.
The term 'Orang Ulu' is considered a reflection of backwardness but many are against the use of ‘Lun Daya’ to replace it.
A major disagreement over the use of the term ‘Lun Daya’ instead of the official ‘Orang Ulu’ is threatening to split the native community.
The latest salvo comes from Peter Kallang, the chairperson of Orang Ulu National Association (Ouna) in Miri, who accused the Orang Ulu cultural symposium of “bulldozing” through in the use of the term.
The change of the term from ‘Orang Ulu’ to ‘Lun Daya’ was first proposed by Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (Forum) chief Lihan Jok at a symposium held in Miri last month.
Lihan, who is also the state assemblyperson for Telang Usan, has described the term ‘Orang Ulu’ as a reflection of backwardness, which is used to refer to people coming from the upper reaches of the Sarawak rivers. The change, he said, would signify progress.
The politician will submit his proposal to the chief minister for the new term to be inserted into the state constitution.
Since the proposal was made known to the public, groups from the various Orang Ulu communities such as the Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Berawan, Penan and Lun Bawang have strongly objected to the name change.
In a hard-hitting statement issued to the press, Kallang said that many participants objected to the name change at the Miri meeting.
As such, he said, it should not be included as one of the resolutions in another recently concluded symposium held in Kuching.
“And I am perplexed that the name was used at official functions as well as the fifth Sarawak cultural symposium which ended yesterday. It looks like the decision (against the change) by the symposium in May came to nothing. It seems that the name change will go ahead with or without the consent of the people.
Shocked by TV presenter
Kallang said the act of defiance by the symposium organisers also confirmed the long-held suspicion that the Orang Ulu cultural meeting was just a “gimmick” as what were decided at the symposium did not matter at all.
He argued that the controversy had cast doubts on the integrity of the Orang Ulu cultural symposium, held once every four years.
Another Ouna official of Kuching branch, Laing Budah, said he was shocked to hear a TV presenter using the term ‘Lun Daya’ instead of the official ‘Orang Ulu’ during the National Gawai Dayak open house on June 13, 2009.
Criticising the TV presenter, Laing said that there was no substitute to the official term ‘Orang Ulu’. Hence, it must remain as the word used to refer to those communities.
“While there is a move by certain members of the Orang Ulu community to adopt ‘Lun Daya’ in place of ‘Orang Ulu’, a change is not likely to happen,” he predicted.
“The proposal has not got the agreement of all the ethnic groups within the Orang Ulu community,” he explained.
Laing pointed out that just because some people had requested for a name change, using another term in place of the current official term was not only wrong, but misleading too.
It will confuse people
The issue became even more complicated when Sarawak government’s ‘think tank’ Angkatam Zaman Mansang (Azam) used the term ‘Lun Daya’ when it sent out invitations to media organisations to attend the Sarawak cultural symposium.
The invitation listed ‘Lun Daya (Orang Ulu)’ community as one of the participants, besides Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Cinese, Melanaus and Indians.
A senior officer from Azam explained that at a meeting held earlier this month, Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (Forum) secretary-general Datu Ose Murang said ‘Lun Daya’ could be used, but with ‘Orang Ulu’ behind the term.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said the state had not changed the term and felt that the final decision should be made by the Orang Ulu community.
The latest salvo comes from Peter Kallang, the chairperson of Orang Ulu National Association (Ouna) in Miri, who accused the Orang Ulu cultural symposium of “bulldozing” through in the use of the term.
The change of the term from ‘Orang Ulu’ to ‘Lun Daya’ was first proposed by Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (Forum) chief Lihan Jok at a symposium held in Miri last month. Lihan, who is also the state assemblyperson for Telang Usan, has described the term ‘Orang Ulu’ as a reflection of backwardness, which is used to refer to people coming from the upper reaches of the Sarawak rivers. The change, he said, would signify progress.
The politician will submit his proposal to the chief minister for the new term to be inserted into the state constitution.
Since the proposal was made known to the public, groups from the various Orang Ulu communities such as the Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Berawan, Penan and Lun Bawang have strongly objected to the name change.
In a hard-hitting statement issued to the press, Kallang said that many participants objected to the name change at the Miri meeting.
As such, he said, it should not be included as one of the resolutions in another recently concluded symposium held in Kuching. “And I am perplexed that the name was used at official functions as well as the fifth Sarawak cultural symposium which ended yesterday. It looks like the decision (against the change) by the symposium in May came to nothing. It seems that the name change will go ahead with or without the consent of the people.
Shocked by TV presenter
Kallang said the act of defiance by the symposium organisers also confirmed the long-held suspicion that the Orang Ulu cultural meeting was just a “gimmick” as what were decided at the symposium did not matter at all.
He argued that the controversy had cast doubts on the integrity of the Orang Ulu cultural symposium, held once every four years. Another Ouna official of Kuching branch, Laing Budah, said he was shocked to hear a TV presenter using the term ‘Lun Daya’ instead of the official ‘Orang Ulu’ during the National Gawai Dayak open house on June 13, 2009.
Criticising the TV presenter, Laing said that there was no substitute to the official term ‘Orang Ulu’. Hence, it must remain as the word used to refer to those communities.
“While there is a move by certain members of the Orang Ulu community to adopt ‘Lun Daya’ in place of ‘Orang Ulu’, a change is not likely to happen,” he predicted.“The proposal has not got the agreement of all the ethnic groups within the Orang Ulu community,” he explained.
Laing pointed out that just because some people had requested for a name change, using another term in place of the current official term was not only wrong, but misleading too.
It will confuse people
The issue became even more complicated when Sarawak government’s ‘think tank’ Angkatam Zaman Mansang (Azam) used the term ‘Lun Daya’ when it sent out invitations to media organisations to attend the Sarawak cultural symposium.
The invitation listed ‘Lun Daya (Orang Ulu)’ community as one of the participants, besides Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Cinese, Melanaus and Indians. A senior officer from Azam explained that at a meeting held earlier this month, Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (Forum) secretary-general Datu Ose Murang said ‘Lun Daya’ could be used, but with ‘Orang Ulu’ behind the term.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said the state had not changed the term and felt that the final decision should be made by the Orang Ulu community.
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