Sunday 2 September 2007

Tun Fuad Stephens vs Tun Datu Mustapha

The State Archives has put up a special exhibition titled `Captain Tun Datu Haji Mustapha Datu Harun'. According to the archive's director Datu Tigabelas Datu Zainal Abidinthe exhibition was in commemoration with Tun Mustapha, the first Sabah Governor and third Chief Minister.

When a reporter asked Datu 13 why Tun Mustapha and not other leaders like Tun Fuad, the director said, `Stephens was a separuh orang putih (half white)." Yesterday Datu 13 clarified that he it was never his intention to discriminate any personality leaders.

Datu 13 said Tun Mustapha was chosen as Tun Fuad who was an Eurasian was involved in the formation of Malaysia, compared to Tun Mustapha who played a vital role during the Japanese invasion right up to the formation of Malaysia.

My Say:

According to history book, Tun Mustapha is half Suluk, half Bajau. Datu 13 failed to mentioned the other half of Tun Fuad which is Kadazandusun. Tun Fuad's relatives can testify this anytime. In my early days as reporter, I had met and interviewed Tun Fuad who upon knowing me a native, answered my questions in Kadazan. I had also interviewed Tun Mustapha, he spoke in Bajau Suluk.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was disgusted with Datu 13's racist statement. He should not be in a position representing any Sabah organisation lest non-Sabahans think his views actually represent some segments of our people.

JBingkasan said...

anon,

i am with you. datu 13 had opened a floodgate of racist sentiment. since that statement, there had been regular criticism on him in the local newspapers.

ThePoliticalCat said...

What is wrong with Datu 13? Tun Fuad Stephens was at least part KadazanDusun, which is more than Tun Mustapha, ya? Plus I understand Tun Mustapha profited immensely off Sabah's wealth and spent it running around with orang putih himself in the U.K. while the Sabahan poor were not benefiting in the least from all that money. Chih!