KOTA KINABALU: Excessive drinking, girls dancing provocatively and exorbitant rents for food stalls and canopies during the Kaamatan festival in Sabah are among the issues that need to be seriously looked into, says Steve Johnny Mositun.
The Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) youth council chairman said these incidents that occurred during Kaamatan celebrations held at the KDCA compound last month had been highlighted on social media.
He said as Kaamatan was a cultural event, programme organisers should take heed of criticism and seek to improve how the festival was celebrated at the KDCA grounds over the final two weeks of May.
He said the event brought people from all walks of life together, and KDCA, as the main organiser, should be more responsible when it came to issues that affect the image of the festival and natives as a whole.
"Almost every year, social media is flooded with similar criticism. Yet, why do we allow this to continue and not take proper action to curb such negativity?" Mositun asked.
He said some questions posed to Unduk Ngadau participants this year also drew flak while a dispute also arose when KDCA judges did not acknowledge the Abaya as a traditional costume.
Mositun said the KDCA has members from different districts in Sabah and there should be people with enough knowledge on various ethnic groups, their traditional attire and related information that the main committee can seek guidance from.
He also said it was necessary for the committee to tighten some rules and promote a more wholesome way of celebrating to take place within KDCA grounds.
He also claimed many stalls rented out, including the traditional houses, were mostly used as drinking joints.
While these were handled by the stall operators, he said, they should have been more responsible as they would continue conducting their businesses until the wee hours of the morning.
He said for the Kaamatan festival to be respected and one that promoted the true culture, image and meaning of Kadazandusun Murut Rungus natives, changes had to be made.
