Tuesday, September 20

Jabu condemns Iban language forum

KUCHING: About 500 participants of ‘Forum Jaku Iban’ (Iban Language Forum) including Iban language experts, professors, university students and secondary students were shocked at the tone of Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, in criticising and questioning the integrity of the organisers of the form.

“Who are you to organise this forum? Are you men of your word?” asked Jabu, when he closed the one-day forum at a leading hotel here.

“My advice to you is establish your committee properly and not on an ad hoc basis. Spell out your aims and objectives, and be accountable to the donations given by the people.

“And don’t overdo with publicity, and don’t talk big. Let others make assessments of your work,”
Jabu said.

He warned the organisers not to mix with organisations and people who have negative agendas against the government.

“You have to ally yourself with the government, and don’t attempt to be an outsider working against the noble objective of ‘begulai-sejalai’ (working together in unity),” said Jabu, who is Deputy President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Apparently Jabu was not happy for not being consulted on the forum and was asked only to officiate at the closing ceremony. He would prefer to open it.

But by criticising the forum organiser, the Utusan Borneo which published daily a page of news in Iban language Jabu indirectly hit at the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation, professors and Iban language experts from University Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI, Tanjung Malim, UiTM, Unimas and the State education department for supporting and recognising the efforts to organise the forum.

Four papers – Tun Jugah Foundation’s ways of empowering Iban Literature by Janang Ensiring and Jantan Umbat of the Foundation, Iban Literature by Dr. Chemaline Osup, of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Iban Language Development by Padang Luna, Ministry of Education and Iban Linguistic Identity: Dunging’s Alphabet and Borneo Research Institute of Native Studies (BRAINS) proposed by Assoc. Prof Dr. Bromeley Philip of UiTM – were presented at the forum.

William Mawan Ikom, Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation officiated at the opening ceremony.

Continuing his tirade against the organisers, Jabu asked the organisers whether they are prepared to learn the Dunging Alphabet system. (Dunging Anak Gunggu was the creator of Iban Alphabet).

“Are you prepared to learn the system before you recommend the participants and others to learn?

“I challenge the organisers of this forum to learn the system, and I don’t want any single organiser to fail otherwise don’t think of others to learn it.

“I give the organisers, if you are men and women of your word, two years to study the system. Put in the Utusan Borneo the spelling system. Only then the people will believe you. Otherwise nobody will believe you,”
he added.

Typical of Jabu, half of his speech contained criticisms of other Dayaks, and the other half was full of self-glorification.

For instance, he talked about his success and efforts in the last 30 years in promoting the study of Iban language in schools.

“Now we have 60,535 students learning Iban in the country, out which 43,963 are in primary schools the state.

“The number is increasing. I support the idea to expand the usage of Jaku Iban in universities such as UPSI and other institutions.

“For as long as I live I will continue in my capacity, in my wife’s capacity and in that of my family’s to help synergise the usage of Jaku Iban,”
he said.

Any Dayak Non-governmental organisation (NGO) which organises seminars and forums on Iban culture and language if the organisers do not consult him are certain to receive ‘baptism of fire’ from Jabu, who considers himself not only an authority on Iban Adat and language, but as the ‘paramount chief’ of the Iban community.

Tun Jugah foundation had clashed with him on the organisation of Dayak Cultural seminar, while Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) clashed with him on Dayak economic seminars, Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) on gawai celebrations and Rumah Dayak building and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association of native customary rights land.

Even Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) does not see eye to eye with Jabu.

Asked to comment on Jabu’s outbursts, Churchill Edward, Secretary of the Forum Organising committee said that although the committee was running at ad hoc basis, the committee took the challenges by the deputy chief minister positively and seriously.

“We understand that as the ‘paramount chief of the Iban he has the right to challenge the committee because he knew there were two or three committees which came and went.

“To him the previous committees were not so serious. Therefore he has the right to challenge us to register the committee, and to get experts, to get sponsorship and be accountable for the money collected,”
Churchill said, pointing out that the government should not object for the committee to be registered.

On his challenge for them to learn the dunging alphabet system, Churchill said that to learn Dunging system, the committee could do it.

“Our committee has decided even take organise a tuition centre to teach our selves first and then we can teach our children, and others,” he said.

He thanked Jabu for his donation of RM10,000 for them to learn the system.



Several Dayak leaders who were present at the function were taken aback with Jabu’s criticisms and his self-glorification.

His criticisms are certain to alienate him further from the Iban community, said one senior Dayak leader.

7 comments:

Apai Saloi said...

Just ignore Jabu. That is his attitude. In the first place he should not be invited to the forum. I still remember what he had said about SDGA, " I wish to disassociate myself from such tactics and manipulation in the SDGA, Sir, turning to Taib while addressing at the launching of the Orang Ulu Development Forum in Miri.

Apai irau said...

To the organizers of Forum Jako Iban,Jabu's criticisms serve you right.Who asked you to invite Jabu to close the forum,why it need to be him in the first place?.Every Dayak or Iban NGO should have known Jabu's characters all these while;he must be made the boss and everything about Ibans must be said to be his brainchild.Why it is so difficult to understand him.We must accept the fact that he never like others' ideas even it is good for the community.Jabu is a man of his words and yet still many longhouses in Betong do not have electricity and treated water,these are only basic needs.Jabu never talk big,but acted like a taiko among the Iban community.Jabu dosen't want opposition people to get involve and yet talk shit about Iban unity.Jabu challenged the organisers to learn Dunging alphabets and yet he just didn't actually know what a 'forum is.Jabu wants to be seen as an Iban Paramount Chief but acted like a Paramount Thief,helping Taid to disintegrate the Iban and robbed their land.REMEMBER THIS-never get involve with Paramount Thief ,for your own good.

fairview betong said...

I am also unhappy with the manner the forum was organised. YAB Tan Sri Jabu was right when he gave his piece of wisdomfull mind during his closing speech.

First and foremost, the state government must be consulted. For the sake of the security of the state, such forum must first be endorsed by YAB Pehin Seri and the best person to link with YAB pehin Seri was non other than our beloved DCM Tan Sri Patinggi Jabu.

As a dayak Iban, we must respect the position of YAB Tan Sri Patinggi Jabu and Puan Seri Empiang whose tireless efforts in promoting not only the Iban language but the programmes to uplift the living standard of the iban race in malaysia.

As an example, all the chlidren of YAB Tan Sri Patinggi Jabu speaks Iban both at home and abroad.

It is rumoured that Rentap and his chinese wife speaks iban very fluently. His (Tan Sri Patinggi) Middle east son-in-law practises bedungai without fail every evening. His swiss son in law is mastering the practises of belian/bemanang. His china malaya son in law is a good farmer and are able to plant sawit in the thousands of acres. Not to forget his close relative Punai speaks in jako karong and jako dalam with her laut malaya husband.

During the recent Gawai at Uggah longhouse, YAB Tan Sri Patinggi insisted that each bilik must slaughter one pig per family and tuak unlimited. All pengabang were reputed to be very "tepantup sampai tegali'e palau) - proving the iban culture to the fullest. Syabas Tan Sri Patinggi.

Next time if anyone wish to organise such events involving the dayak iban, please consult the rightful paramount-in-chief YAB Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Jabu anak Numpang.

Idup Tan Sri.

Anonymous said...

Why invited him in the first place? And who appointed him "paramount chief"? It's more appropriate if he is referred to as "Paramount Thief".

Anonymous said...

We challenge Jabu to let his grandchildren learn the Iban language even if he is silent about their bumiputra status.

Anonymous said...

“And don’t overdo with publicity, and don’t talk big. Let others make assessments of your work,” Jabu said. I think Jabu is talking about himself..

pelacur politikus said...

Eh eh eh eh....dashyatnya para menantu Yang Dikasihi ini.Ada yang belajar bahasa Iban,ada yang belajar bedungai,ada yang belajar bemanang/belian.Tak ada yang nak belajar jadi pegawai keselamatan jaga resort kat Lebanon ke ? Fairview kata FJI 2011 mesti dapatkan endorsement dari Taib atas sebab keselamatan,Wah LAGI DASHYAT,sejak bila pula forum bahasa boleh mengancam keselamatan negeri? Aduhai Fairview.Kalau kat tempat saya, hotel yang namanya Fairview Inn adalah sarang pelacur,tapi bukan pelacur politik,tapi pelacur jual ayam.