Local leaders fail to attend ceremony

KENINGAU: The ceremony to relocate the Keningau Oath Stone (Batu Sumpah) would have been more meaningful with the attendance of all local community leaders as the monument is of historical significance, said Ricky Sedomon, son of a former native chief and founder of the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko).

Ricky, whose father was the late Datuk Seri Panglima Sedomon Gunsanad Kina who founded Upko with his brother Datuk G.S. Sundang, said the oath stone, creat- ed following discussions between previous political leaders, was to display the terms under which the Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) communities agreed to the formation of the Federation.

“I am disappointed because leaders such as Keningau MP Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Kadazandusun Murut Cultural Association president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan should have been present at this ceremony regardless of their political affiliations.

“This oath stone belongs to everyone regardless of status,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying after the ceremony here on Sunday.

Ricky, a lawyer, said the setting up of the Keningau Oath Stone was initiated by Sabah rural KDM leaders who had originally opposed the move to join the Malaysian Federation in 1963.

“The oath stone came about after the then deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein came to our family home in Bingkor to talk to my father to agree to the formation of Malaysia.

“Without the oath stone, Malaysia would not have existed,” he added.

This oath stone came about after the then deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein came to our family home in Bingkor to talk to my father to agree to the formation of Malaysia. Ricky Sedomon