Sipitang MP captivates Dewan Rakyat with Kedayan pantun during debate

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 21): Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musah once again captured the attention of the Dewan Rakyat with a distinctive debate speech during the Royal Address on Tuesday, drawing thunderous applause from fellow lawmakers.

Matbali opened his address with a ‘pantun’ delivered in the Kedayan language, an oral poetic form deeply rooted in one of Sabah’s ethnic communities.

The opening verse conveyed his heartfelt appreciation to the House while setting a reflective and emotive tone for the debate.

Midway through his speech, the parliamentarian switched to the Bruneian dialect as he raised longstanding concerns over road infrastructure in Sabah, particularly the delayed progress of the Pan Borneo Highway project.

Through his pantun, he lamented that the issue had been repeatedly voiced in Parliament but continued to receive little meaningful response.

“Sudah berbuih-buih kitani bekurapak sampaikan belagu di Parlimen tapi macam inda jua kedengaran,” he remarked, likening the repeated appeals to words that seemed to fall on deaf ears.

As his address drew to a close, Matbali invoked another pantun alongside lyrics from a song from a neighbouring country to underscore the frustrations felt by Sabahans.

“Obor-obor ikan lele; kita pun sudah tegur menegur berkali-kali,” he said, emphasising the growing impatience among the people over issues that remain unresolved.

He stressed that matters affecting public welfare must not be treated lightly or dismissed through bureaucratic deflection.

“Janganlah juga seperti lagu mereka, ‘tabola-bale’, semua ini ditolak balik-balik ke sana-sini, hanya semata-mata untuk mengelak daripada kebertanggungjawaban,” he cautioned, calling for accountability and sincerity in governance.

Matbali further urged MPs to remain people-oriented and prepared to make sacrifices in the service of the nation, even if it meant personal cost for the greater good.

In a rare and symbolic conclusion, he ended his speech by singing ‘Biarku Menjadi Lilin’ by Kumpulan Pelangi – a gesture that drew warm applause from the House.