KUCHING: Members of the Orang Ulu community here generally support a change in the name of their ethnic group but pointed out it does not necessarily have to be called ‘Lun Daya’.
They agreed that Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (FORUM) president Lihan Jok was on to something when he proposed the change.
However, the new name must be agreed to by the almost 30 Orang Ulu sub groups.
A Kayan businessman, Henry Opang Luhat, said that the proposal was a good thing and that it was time the term was changed.
“The term Orang Ulu sounds like Orang Utan and I think it is about time there was a change to the name,” he said. However, he added, it was necessary that the name or term be chosen by the community itself.
“Orang Ulu are actually Malay words and it would only be fair if the term is chosen by the community itself,” explained Henry, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak executive secretary.
Sarawak Cultural Village general manager Jane Lian Labang, a Kelabit, said that if the proposed name reflected the people then she would fully support the renaming.
“The name has to reflect the people. Although I am not sure what ‘Lun Daya’ means,” she explained. She also said that the proposed name had to be from the community and agreed to by all.
Lihan, who is Telang Usan assemblyman, told reporters on Wednesday that the change was to reflect the struggle, strength and resource-fulness of the community in the context of the modern world.
He pointed out that in the past the term Orang Ulu was chosen as they mostly resided in the upper or ‘ulu’ reaches of rivers. It differentiated the community from others.
The proposal was said to have the nod from most of the community’s pro-fessionals, intellectuals and leaders and it would be tabled at a symposium in April, and then submitted to the State Cabinet.
A Kelabit lawyer, who only wanted to be known as Richard, said he agreed with the change but felt that the term ‘Daya’ should have the letter ‘h’ at the end of it. “In my opinion, I agree with the change in the name and I would get offended when people call me an Orang Ulu because the word ‘Orang’ was degrading to us.
He also said that as far as he knew, the term Orang Ulu does not exist in the constitutions of Sarawak or Malaysia. “We were always referred to as natives,” he explained.
He also felt that FORUM itself should not have been formed until the term Orang Ulu was changed.
However, a young Kayan professional who only wished to be called Ray said the renaming was unnecessary. “The suggestion is unnecessary and the term shows where we come from. I am proud to be part of the group,” he said.
He felt that there are better things for Lihan to worry about. Sarawak Lun Bawang Association special advisor William Ghani Bina also thought that the FORUM should not be concerned about renaming the term Orang Ulu.
“FORUM should not think of just renaming the term but instead play an important role in developing the social economy of the Orang Ulu,” he said. He also said the name Orang Ulu should remain as it signifies the identity, culture as well as the community’s way of life.
“FORUM should play its role in making the Orang Ulu community more developed by organising various activities such as courses in entre-preneurship or in agriculture activities,” said Ghani, who is also the Sarawak Teachers Union president.He added that FORUM should also provide ground work for the Orang Ulu community to enable them to increase their knowledge in the economic field as well as their ability to run a business or farm.
“They (FORUM) should take this opportunity to show the development of the Orang Ulu who are in fact a smart and hard-working community.”
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