KOTA KINABALU: The Kaamatan festival should be celebrated with full responsibility and proper manners to ensure that the image of the celebration is not tarnished, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Jeffrey, who is also Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) deputy president, said KDCA would take a stricter approach to ensure that the atmosphere of the state-level Kaamatan Festival celebration was controlled this year.
He said the regulations during the celebration would be displayed at the KDCA premises at Hongkod Koisaan and would apply to all visitors, including foreign visitors.
"I hope we will all celebrate the Kaamatan festival responsibly and with discipline. Let's celebrate warmly, with full decorum, and not exceed the limits by getting drunk everywhere and risking unwanted situations while driving.
"We also want to avoid problems that have happened before, such as inappropriate dances and activities that go on until morning. We do not want this to happen because it tarnishes our image during the Kaamatan celebration.
"Therefore, we have established several rules, including customary regulations, as well as the do's and don'ts to prevent (unpleasant) incidents," he said during the Kaamatan Festival press conference at Wisma Pertanian today.
Jeffrey said that if one was found to be breaking the rules, they could face customary punishment, such as being imposed a "sogit" (traditional penance) or taken to the Sabah Native Court.
"Among the offenses are fighting, forcing people to drink, disturbing others, and engaging in indecent behaviour," he said while hoping that every village or location hosting Kaamatan celebrations would display the rules and regulations as a reminder for everyone.
Jeffrey said activities at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA compound were limited until 12am. Stall operators, including at the traditional houses, cannot play loud music or create unnecessary nuisance after the time limit.
For this year's celebration, Jeffrey said various programmes had been lined up, including Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (a traditional beauty pageant), Sugandoi (singing) competition and Buvazoi Tavantang (Sabah's cultural male pageant).
"The theme of this year's Kaamatan festival celebration is 'Kaamatan, Beyond Food Security' (Kaamatan, Melangkaui Keterjaminan Makanan or Kaamatan, Poingalib Kohimaganan Taakanon).
"The month-long festival is scheduled to be launched on May 1 at the Ranau Community Hall and will be officiated by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
"The climax of the celebration will be held here on May 30 and 31 at KDCA in Penampang," he said, adding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was expected to officiate the closing ceremony of the Kaamatan festival.
Regarding the theme of the celebration, Jeffrey, who is also the State Kaamatan Festival organising chairman, said food security was very important, but not the only focus of the festival.
"It (Kaamatan) also revolves around efforts to promote unity or harmony in diversity; preserve and promote culture; promoting trade, investment and tourism, and other wider aspects.
"The Kaamatan festival is also an opportunity to do business and strengthen family and friendship relationships. The main important element is to remind everyone to thank God for the harvest."
On the events at Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, he said there were two new programmes lined up — the International Cultural Dialogue on May 21 and World Biodiversity Day on May 22.
Both programmes will involve participants from overseas, including Indonesia, Europe, and the United States.
Jeffrey added that the Kaamatan festival had evolved from the village level to become a national event and hoped to be able to make Kaamatan festival a culture and tradition that is shared throughout the world.