The Momoguns of Borneo

Who are the momoguns of Borneo? Momogun is a Kadazan word that means 'natives' or "indigenous people".

Borneo is a large island, reputedly the second largest island in the world after Greenland in Europe. Some people had argued that Borneo is not the second largest island. Well, it does not matter that much. What is more important is that a place called Borneo does exist in this world.

The big island of Borneo is divided between three nations, namely, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. Sabah and Sarawak are member-nations of the Federation of Malaysia. To the South-east of Borneo is Kalimantan which is part of the Republic of Indonesia. Brunei is wedged between Sarawak and Sabah.

To the east of Sabah is the Philippines and Indonesia to the south. The four countries, Malaysia, The Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei had concluded some sort of economic agreement referred to as BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area.) There are pros and cons in this arrangement.

The Momoguns of Borneo in Sabah
The natives of Sabah include the Kadazans, Bajaus Sama, Muruts, among many others who are smaller in terms of population. The non-Muslim natives have become a minority group in Sabah. People from outside Sabah now outnumber Sabahan natives. It had been revealed that many of them were given or managed to obtain Malaysian citizenship through the back door.

Apart from the natives, the momoguns, Sabah has a fairly large number of Chinese. There are others such as Indians, and those whose ancestry are Indonesian, Suluk or Ibans. Ibans are indigenous to Sarawak.

The Momoguns of Sarawak
The natives or Momoguns of Sarawak include the Ibans (Sea Dayak), Land Dayak, and Melanau. The majority of Dayaks still live in long houses.

As there is a strict control on migration particularly of people from outside Sarawak, the momoguns of Sarawak are still very much in control of their future.

There is a fairly large number of Chinese living in Sarawak.

The Momoguns of Kalimantan
The majority of the momoguns of Kalimantan are the Dayaks which would include the Ngaju people and the Bentian tribe who are mostly Christians.

Now there is the presence of Muslim Madurese as the result of the Indonesian government plan on transmigration beginning in the 1930s. The introduction of other Indonesians from another part of Indonesia into Kalimantan caused tribal animosity which led to fights between feollow Indonesians resulting in many deaths.

The rights of Momoguns are being eroded
Almost everywhere in Borneo, the God-given rights of the momoguns are being eroded and trampled under foot. And there is not much they can do. They are left to fight on their own since not many among their local leaders are influential enough to change the way they are being treated.

Some many may have begun to think that fighting for their rights is a futile exercise. There is no one to whom they can turn for help. People from outside are not allowed to interfere. What more why should other countries be interested in helping them without conditions? Who would care enough to ensure the survival of these Momoguns? After all, who among the former colonial masters who benefited much from being in control of these territories in the past would care to spend money on a human enterprise that brings no reward of any form.

Only education can enable the Momoguns to improve their lot. But education is not available for everybody. And even if educational facilities are available, these may be too far away, preventing many Momguns children from getting any form of education even at the primary level.

These people may have to wait a long time. By then it will be too late.