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Daily Express
18-06-2025
- General
- Daily Express
What began in 1986 must continue, Madius on preservation of Kadazandusun language
Published on: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 18, 2025 Text Size: Madius presenting appreciation certificates to Kadazandusun language teachers. Tuaran: Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau welcomed efforts to strengthen the preservation of the Kadazandusun Language through initiatives such as the Kadazandusun Language Carnival for the Nabalu Zone held at SK Tomis, here. He said events like these are vital in raising public awareness about the importance of safeguarding the mother tongue from extinction, particularly among the younger generation. Advertisement 'This carnival is very important as it reminds us of the need to use our mother tongue in communication. If we do not act now, our language may one day disappear,' he said when officiating the event, recently. Madius said studies by Unesco revealed there are around 7,000 indigenous languages at risk of extinction, which may eventually become dead languages due to the absence of speakers. By the year 2050, 90 per cent of these languages are expected to be extinct – much like Sanskrit and Latin. He also shared his long and challenging journey in advocating for the Kadazandusun language, which began in 1986 when he was first elected as a Supreme Council Member of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA), later becoming Chairman of the KDCA Language and Literature Committee. Among the main efforts initiated during that time was the development of the Kadazandusun Language Dictionary and the selection of a standard dialect to be used within the Malaysian education system. 'We began in 1986, but it was no easy task. Eventually, the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah appointed a Research Officer – my colleague Alice Jekop – in 1988 to lead the research team. 'Many contributed their efforts, including Ben Topin, Rita Lasimbang and others. The dictionary was only published in 1995, nearly 10 years later and thanks to everyone involved. 'The dictionary was based on the Kadazan dictionary by Fr Antonissen, with the support of various parties, especially the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). Although it took a long time, it was finally completed,' he said. The Kadazandusun Language Symposium held at Perkasa Hotel, Kundasang – supported by Canadian University Students Overseas (Cuso) – also laid the foundation for unifying the Bundu and Liwan dialects, which today form the basis of the Kadazandusun Language. 'It's quite remarkable that in the same year the Kadazan dictionary was printed – 1995 – an agreement was reached between KDCA and USDA to formalise the combination of the 'Bundu' and 'Liwan' dialects into what is now known as the 'Bunduliwan' dialect, officially branded as the Kadazandusun Language. 'Today, Kadazandusun is taught as a subject within the national education system. Many have graduated with specialisations in the language at PhD, Master's and Bachelor's levels, and thousands of students are currently learning it from kindergarten and Year One right up to SPM level,' said Madius. He expressed full support for efforts of teachers in the district to establish Tinimungan Manampasi Boros Kadazandusun (Timbok) – an initiative to strengthen the teaching and learning of the language, while also providing opportunities for retired Kadazandusun language teachers to remain actively involved in writing, research, and other activities to preserve the language. He said this year's carnival theme Apasi Boros, Apasi Tinaru (Appreciate Language, Appreciate Culture), was highly appropriate in nurturing a love for one's own language and culture. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
02-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Carnival boosts awareness on Kadazandusun language preservation – Madius
Madius presenting appreciation certificates to teachers. TUARAN (May 2): Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau has called for continued efforts to preserve the Kadazandusun language through initiatives such as the Kadazandusun Language Carnival for the Nabalu Zone, held today at SK Tomis. He emphasised the importance of such events in instilling public awareness about the need to safeguard native languages from extinction, especially among the younger generation. 'This carnival is very important because it reminds us of the need to use our mother tongue in communication. If we do not act now, our native language may disappear,' he said during the event's launch. Madius cited a UNESCO study, noting that of the 7,000 indigenous languages worldwide, many are at risk of extinction and could become 'dead languages' like Sanskrit or Latin by 2050, with 90% potentially vanishing due to lack of speakers. He also shared his long and challenging journey in championing the Kadazandusun language, which began in 1986 when he was first elected to the KDCA Supreme Council and later appointed Chair of the KDCA Language and Literature Committee. One of the major initiatives back then was the development of the Kadazandusun Dictionary and the selection of a standard dialect for use in the Malaysian education system. 'We started in 1986, but it was not easy. Eventually, the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah assigned a research officer — my colleague Alice Jekop — in 1988 to lead the research team. Many others like Ben Topin and Rita Lasimbang also contributed significantly. In short, the dictionary was only published in 1995, nearly a decade later. Thank you to all involved,' he said. The dictionary was based on an earlier Kadazan dictionary by Fr. Antonissen, with support from various parties, particularly the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). Despite the lengthy process, it was ultimately completed. The Kadazandusun Language Symposium held at Perkasa Hotel, Kundasang — with financial support from Canadian University Students Overseas (CUSO) — also laid the foundation for uniting the Bundu and Liwan dialects, which now form the core of the modern Kadazandusun language. Interestingly, Madius noted, 'The year the Kadazan dictionary was printed — 1995 — was also when KDCA and USDA agreed to brand the Bundu and Liwan dialects as Bunduliwan, officially recognised as the Kadazandusun language.' Today, Kadazandusun is taught as a subject within the national education system. Many have graduated with degrees, master's, and even doctorates in the language, and thousands of students are currently learning it from kindergarten through to secondary school. As the local MP, Madius expressed full support for teachers in Tuaran working to establish Tinimungan Manampasi Boros Kadazandusun (TIMBOK), a local initiative aimed at strengthening the teaching and learning of the language and providing opportunities for retired Kadazandusun language teachers to continue contributing through writing, research, and other activities. He extended his appreciation to all involved in organising the carnival, especially the Tuaran District Education Office and SK Tomis as the host. This year's carnival theme, 'Apasi Boros, Apasi Tinaru' (Cherish the Language, Cherish the Culture), he said, perfectly encapsulates the aim of fostering love for one's own language and culture. Madius also took the opportunity to wish everyone a joyous Pesta Kaamatan, themed 'Kaamatan for All' this year, highlighting it as a symbol of unity across different backgrounds. 'This celebration is not only culturally significant but also serves as a platform to unite communities and introduce our customs and traditions to the younger generation,' he said. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to supporting mother tongue education and promoting cultural programmes to ensure national heritage is not lost over time. 'I believe our unity as a community will bring harmony and strengthen our identity as a people who cherish our culture, customs, and traditions,' he added, congratulating Zon Nabalu and SK Tomis for successfully organising the carnival and urging everyone to play their part in preserving the Kadazandusun language and culture.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Eight finals to go' for Argyle, says Bundu
Plymouth Argyle forward Mustapha Bundu says his side have "eight finals left" in their bid for Championship 28-year-old's excellent first-half free-kick drew Argyle back into the match in their eventual 3-2 defeat at home by fellow strugglers Derby County on loss leaves Argyle rooted to the foot of the table and six points from safety."After half-time, I thought we controlled the game after it went 2-2 and then one little mistake and we conceded a goal," Bundu told BBC Radio Devon."We gave everything at the end."[We're] very disappointed as it was a game we were very positive about getting a good result in because we wanted to build on the performance at Portsmouth."But now we have an international break, get some time off. Go back, reset, and eight finals to go when we get back."Following his second goal in a week, and Bundu's sixth of the Championship campaign overall, the Sierra Leone international says there is still hope of Argyle repeating last season's final-day survival heroics."We were here last year and got some very big results in the last five, six games so there's points to be won - never give up," he added."We did it last year so we're going to give everything again."
