‘Huguan Siou’ Anwar: It’s a mockery, says Jeffrey

STAR chief Jeffrey Kitingan claims that those who conferred the title on Anwar Ibrahim were prepared to sell out their culture for personal gains.

PETALING JAYA: The awarding of the “Huguan Siou” title to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim makes a mockery of the customs of the KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) community, says State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Jeffrey Kitingan.

“It is a mockery to the customs and institutions of the KDM community,” said Jeffrey, who is also United Borneo Front chairman, when contacted.

He was commenting on newsreports of Anwar being bestowed the Huguan Siou title when he visited Kampung Paginatan, Sabah, on Sunday.

The title was “given” to him by the PKR Ranau division in Paginatan.

The photographs of Anwar wearing the headgear and sash of the Huguan Siou were posted on the Facebook account of Ranau PKR chief Jonathan Yasin.

Huguan Siou is an institutionalised revered title equivalent to a paramount leader of the KDM community. It is bestowed by the Kadazan Dusun Culture Association’s Council of Elders.

The current Huguan Siou is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Jeffrey also said certain people in Sabah PKR hoped to extend their political shelf life by bestowing the title on Anwar.

“These leaders are prepared to sell out their culture for their own selfish motive. They did it [giving the title to Anwar] because they wanted to woo their boss [Anwar] in an attempt to be a candidate.

“These people continue to practise things that are disrespectful to the KadazanDusunMurut community,” said Jeffrey, who is also Pairin’s younger brother.

Grave mistake

Meanwhile, Kota Belud MP, Abdul Rahman, when contacted, said Sabah PKR made a grave mistake to bestow the honour on Anwar since he does not deserve the title.

“How can one give the title to someone who does not deserve it? It is a sacred title… You can’t come in a helicopter to attend a political ceramah and get the title,” said Rahman, referring to Anwar’s political campaign in Sabah.

He also took a dig at Anwar, saying that the opposition leader is not satisfied with just one title.

“He is already ‘gift of God’ to Malaysians but it is not enough for him. He wants to be the King of Malaysia,” claimed Rahman.

(PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had described Anwar as God’s gift to Malaysians during the PKR national congress in 2010.)

Anwar, however, denied that he was bestowed the honour.

“It’s not true. I am not aware of it. There was never a public announcement about it,” Anwar was quoted as saying the The Star today.