KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 -- Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Joachim Gunsalam has urged Sabahans to reject attempts to create new ethnic divisions, saying the annual Kaamatan Festival should remain a symbol of unity among the state's indigenous communities.

According to the New Straits Times, Joachim cautioned that efforts by some groups to redefine or separate long-established ethnic identities risk undermining the harmony that has long existed among Sabah's diverse indigenous peoples.

The deputy chief minister said the Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus (KDMR) identity should continue to serve as a unifying umbrella rather than be replaced by alternative labels such as "Momogun".

"As an elder, I would advise the younger generation ...