Preserve The Good Name of PENAMPANG

Penampang is a unique place with a unique people. It is meant to be like that. But once future generations of Penampangites fail to grasp what it means to be true sons and daughters of Penampang, then maybe time has started to change for Penampang and its people.

Even if people of other racial background had come and made Penampang their home, it does not mean Penampang ceases to be what it is UNLESS the original inhabitants allow it to be so. It will not be easy  to rehabilitate Penampang once undesirable changes had become permanent and made the place unrecognisable.

Everyone can play a role, the young and the not so young, children, families, and every household. They have specific roles to play which no one else can carry out.

Natural Characteristics of Penampang

Land Use
A large part of Penampang is hilly, particularly the area toward Tambunan. Some of the land that are nearer to the road are planted with rubber. Vegetables gardens are found at cooler places particularly at Togudon and Moyog. However, large parcels of hilly land still remain undeveloped.

The lowland is fertile due to the perennial flooding of the Moyog River. Wet rice farming was a major activity of the people of Penampang but has practically disappeared except for the small area at Kodundungan and a few fields at Tua-ui (Terawi). Many landowners have built residential houses on their former rice fields. Shop houses and housing estates had sprung up at a number of places, particularly near newly-built highways and roads.

Some landowners have rented out their land to Indonesians, mainly Toraja and Timorese for planting vegetables. Chinese businessmen had bought almost all of the land near the highways. More people are expected to sell their land in the coming years.

Many areas in Penampang had become inundated by irresponsible hill-cutting activities, polluting rivers and streams and causing irrepairable damage to the ecosystem. Such activities had seriously damaged the countryside and impacted on the aesthetic beauty of the countryside.

Cultural Characteristics of Penampang

Languages
Most of the people living in Penampang are Kadazans. The older folks are very fluent in the Kadazan Language. They can also speak good English and Malay. Most of the younger generation of Kadazans cannot speak Kadazan  although they can understand a little bit. They speak Malay, instead. Very few are good in the English language. A good number of Kadazan children in primary schools speak and understand Kadazan. If the trend continues then the Kadazan Language is assured of continuity.

There is a substantial number of Chinese living in Penampang. Many of them had inter-married with the Kadazans. The older folks speak Chinese and Kadazan while the younger generation speaks Chinese, Malay and perhaps English. The majority are concentrated in the town areas such as Donggongon, Penampang New Township, Bundusan and Kepayan.

A growing number of Muslims are making Penampang their home. They speak Malay.

Many Filipinos live at Penampang. They work in construction, transportation or sell fresh fish, grilled fish and meat. They speak in their own language. It is understood that quite a number of them are Tausugs and Suluks.

Many Bugis are hawkers, selling cakes, clothing and other items. They control about 90 per cent of the hawking business at Donggongon.

A a number of Pakistanis and Tamil Muslim had opened shops or tuck shops at Penampang. And they communicate with each other in their own language.

Religions
The majority of Kadazans are Christians, most of them Catholics. The Chinese majority are Buddhists or Thai Pak Kung practioners. The Malays, Bugis, Pakistanis and most Filipinos are Muslims. Some of the Filipinos staying at Penampang are Christians.

A number of the people at Penampang still practices animistic belief.

Where People Live
The majority of Kadazans live in their own respective house built on their own land or reserved land in villages around Penampang. A fair number of Kadazans live in housing estates or apartments built within the district. Some squat on government land or road or riverine reserves.

The Chinese live in urban areas around Donggongon Town, the New Penampang Township, in housing estates around Penampang or in their own mansion.

People of other races live in their own house, in housing estates or rent houses in villages.

How People Move Around
People who do not have their own personal transport use public transport. Buses operated by Filipinos and Bugis ply between Donggongon and Kota Kinabalu. Limited taxi service operated by Chinese is available at Donggongon. Unlicensed 'taxi' operators offer transportation charging fairly high fees are operated mainly by Kadazans.

How Money Is Exchanged
A number of banks make available services for monetary transactions. Branches of the Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad, Public Bank Berhad, Maybank Berhad, Bank Simpanan Nasional Berhad, Agro Bank Berhad are found at Donggongon and other places within Penampang.

Government Offices
Government offices can be found near Donggongon Town. These include the Penampang District Office, the District Council Office, Post Malaysia, District Police Station, and Fire and Rescue Station.

The National Registration Department as well as the Health Department have opened branches at Donggongon .


Maintaining the Characteristics of Penampang

The following could be ways (there could be others) whereby the characteristics of Penampang will remain intact. Therefrom, Penampang can then concentrate on becoming a leader in selected fields of human endeavour.

1. Be Proud to be a Penampangite. To be born in Penampang is a privilege as well as a responsibility. Anyone who is worthy to be called a Penampangite has to uphold the good name of Penampang.

It seems that Kadazan-Dusun leaders prefer to conduct their business and activities, centred at Penampang. After all, Penampang, at the present moment, is not a congested place. It is easier to move around Penampang when compared to Kota Kinabalu (Tompinak Nabahu, to me). Penampang has the potential to develop into a beautiful urban area.

Who else can ensure that Penampang retains its uniqueness and develop it into a successful semi-urban area but the people of Penampang themselves? Who are better-placed to know what is best for Penampang but the Penampang people themselves?

As a Penampangite, one must be able to think independently and not easily swayed one way or another before making informed decision for the good of the people and the land. This is one way the people can preserve the good name of Penampang.

2. Remember and Value the Sacrifices by Past Leaders. Leaders come and go. They may come from different political background, belief or ideology. Appreciate whatever good any one of them had done for Penampang. Give credit where it is due.

Penampang and its institutions had produced many fine leaders, contributing their talents in politics, the public or the private sector. May Penampang people be ever ready to be formed as individuals grounded upon the truth and honesty and a strong belief in God.

3. Be Honest and Speak the Truth. Being honest and truthful always is another way people can enhance the good reputation of Penampang. Penampangites should never waver in the fight against injustice and against every attempt to make them a subject people.

4. Strive to be the Best in What You Do. Penampangites need to strive to be the best in everything that they do, be it be at school or college, at work, in sports or business, or personal life. They need to strive for excellence. But excellence can never be the friend of idleness or laziness. To excel one must always try to reach the next level.

5. Be Inclusive. Don't adopt an attitude of elitism or aloofness. Don't exclude people just because they are less successful than we are. Value people for what they are. Give credit where it is due. Do not judge a person by his looks, his status or station in life.

6. "The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts (Aristotle)." According to one explanation, this phrase means the following:

"Organizational pundits maintain that this principle describes the synergy, which exists between individuals working together in a cooperative effort. J Craniofac Surg. 2014 Jan;25"

Penampangites need to be generous in sharing knowledge, skills, experience and feelings as they work together to attain common goals for the good of Penampang and its people for the long term.

7. Be True to the One True God. Penampang had been a stronghold of Christianity. True believers need to make it their personal responsibility that this remains so for all times. This faith is symbolised by the Cross erected at the top of Tivung, the first Cross having been erected in 1893.


Calling every inhabitant of Penampang to be a true son or daughter of Penampang.