Monday, December 31, 2012

Linangkit Cultural Village to be enhanced to promote Lotud culture


TUARAN: The state government has allocated RM1.5 million to rebuild and enlarge the Linangkit Cultural Village (LCV) in recognition of the tourism role played by LCV.

The Village was founded several years ago to showcase Lotud culture and has since attracted thousands of local and foreign tourists alike.

Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor announced the allocation yesterday during a year-end social gathering at LCV in Selupoh here yesterday.

The function, held partly in conjunction with Christmas and the New Year, was attended by the heads of villages where the Lotud people are found.

These village heads also accepted letters of appointment as KLOSA advisers in their respective villages. Also present were Tuaran district officer Madiyem Layapan and the Minister’s political secretary, Kassim Razali.

“The Lotuds are a unique sub-community of the Dusun people found only in the Tuaran district. Since its establishment, it has succeeded in not only attracting tourists by also in preserving the Lotud culture and language.

“In fact, the uniqueness of the Lotuds even attracted the interest of an Australian university who sent a team to LCV recently to study its culture, way of life, and even language.

“One of the reasons why they came here was that according to their Dean, the Lotud dialect would be among the languages of minority groups in the world that could vanish if nothing is done to preserve it.

“So, if even foreigners are so concerned about our culture and language, why can’t we be? Thus, I successfully persuaded the State Government to give this allocation of RM1.5 million to enlarge the LCV so that it can enhance its role in anticipation of more tourists and also in preserving the Lotud culture and dialect,” he added, to thunderous applause from the huge crowd.

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