The most anticipated event in KDCA Hall on the afternoon of the last day of May every year is surely the Unduk Ngadau finals.

Starting at 1pm, from the original 41 finalists, 26 were jettisoned for round 2, resulting in the top 15. Hence it’s already quite an achievement to make the list:

Miss Kinabatangan: Gloria Lyne Bami
Miss Penampang: Joanne Kimberley J Majalap
Miss Likas: Elinna Masuin
Miss Klang Valley: Jovenea Jim Lajim [Papier Mache's backing vocalist!]
Miss Sipitang: Rozyanah Mutang
Miss Banggi: Jacqueline Monalisa
Miss Papar: Appey Rowenna Januin
Miss Putatan: Maylesthelyn Matius
Miss Tanjung Aru: Elsie R Marius
Miss Tenom: Rounnah Bab Robert Sylvester
Miss Keningau: Jacqueline Joseph
Miss Ranau: Stella Nakaran
Miss Tuaran: Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut
Miss Tamparuli: Flina Rutum
Miss DBKK: Pearl Dianne Petrus

Then in the final round, 7 were selected, with the final results:

Unduk Ngadau 2009: Appey Rowenna Januin (Papar)
1st Runner-up: Pearl Dianne Petrus (DBKK – Kota Kinabalu)
2nd Runner-up: Joanne Kimberley J Majalap (Penampang)
3rd Runner-up: Flina Rutum (Tamparuli)
4th Runner-up: Jacqueline Joseph (Keningau)
5th Runner-up: Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut (Tuaran)
6th Runner-up: Elinna Masuin (Likas)

The top 3 (photo by Roy Ajin):

A video of the Q&A session for the top 3 placers, the most difficult segment of all

Click here to see the video

Update 2nd June 2009

Someone uploaded the whole movie to youtube already, first part:

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As I am writing this, I am watching the movie during lunchtime in the office.

Starring Akademi Fantasia stars Linda Nanuwil (her 2nd movie), Felix Agus and Ebi Kornelis.

It’s not the first Kadazan/Dusun-language (well, about 80% of the script) telemovie in history, but it’s apparently the first ever to be broadcast for the whole nation to see, and the timing is appropriate: on the approach to the climax to the Harvest Festival celebrations.

News of showing of the movie has been making the rounds since last year.

Part of newsreport in the New Sabah Times.

It’s about Ivy (Linda Nanuwil), a university student who wants to escape from poverty (well, who doesn’t?) currently afflicting her family. At the same time, she’s involved in a love triangle with Dol (Ebi Kornelis), a fellow undergraduate and Anggidau (Felix Agus), a man from the same village.

And in case you wondered… Ebi spoke only Malay in the movie :-)

The soundtrack includes the exquisite “Mitongkiad Kito“, and “Upus Tolidang“, tracks off Linda’s self-titled album released August 2008.

Apparently most of the shooting was done at Kg Tombung, Kiulu where the greenery looked so nice it looked like turf grass.

Please support out local moviemakers, purchase the disc.

Update 24th May 2009

Another:
(i) Bruce Lee only knew one word in English: in his movies he repeatedly shouted “Watah!” i.e. “Water!”
(ii) “Selamat tidur” sounds like “slam at the door” (almost).
(iii) “Terima Kasih” sounds like “tear me car seat” (almost).

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When a new friend from Britain visited Sabah recently, he learnt a few local phrases like “aramai ti” and “buli ba kalau kau”.

After he went back, he commented on Facebook that “aramai ti” sounds like “hour of my tea”. What do you think of this: every time you shout out “arrrrrrrrrammai tiiiiiiii” would be like celebrating the fact that the time to savour your long-awaited cup of tea has finally come!

His comment reminds me of the time someone mentioned that Sylvester Stallone spoke Malay in Judge Dredd. What did he say? “Ayam Telor!” i.e. “I Am The Law!”

In my opinion, the funniest “English approximation of the original language sound” joke has to be that video by Buffalax, with incredible phrases such as:

Have you been high today?

I see the nuns are gay

I’d love to see you pee on us tonight

Who put the goat in there? The yellow goat I ate!

Send him the crazy Hindu!

Hugely recommended, I bet you’ll laugh so hard it’d be as good as consuming one of those colon cleansers…

It was a 71-year old tourist from Canada, one of 5 countries in the Malaysian government’s list of non-recommended countries to travel to. The others are the United States, Mexico, Spain and Britain.

Timeline:

5th: he arrived in Sabah
12th / 13th: became ill, suffering from fever and a sore throat. Visited a clinic in Luyang. The doctor there immediately alerted Sabah Health Department officials who then took the man to be quarantined overnight at the Department’s isolation centre in Kepayan.
13th: His blood sample sent to Kuala Lumpur.
14th: blood test result received: negative. The man released.

Just wondering: need to send blood sample to KL? Shouldn’t Sabah have it’s own A(H1N1) blood testing equipment? Or hasn’t telemedicine progressed up to the point where blood can be tested remotely?

Source
The Star, 14th May 2009

… this could very well increase insurance quotes anywhere …

Unduk Ngadau contestants are supposed to project the image of the legendary Huminodun, the sacrificed daughter of Kinorohingan [God].

The following video is apparently of a contestant at the Tawau district-level 1995 Unduk Ngadau pageant doing her catwalk. Watch out for what she does at 0:28, I don’t think it’s ever been performed in any Unduk Ngadau competition, or been repeated since:

Click here to see the video

Last time I remember reading that the world record for the most number of children given birth by one woman is sixty nine, by a Russian peasant in the 18th century.

My neighbour has 24 children, but from 2 wives (12 children each). Their house was always a riot.

For a Malaysian woman, the record could very well be 21.

Housewife Chu Seok Len, 49 and her sawmill factory worker husband Lam Ah Ngan of Grik, Perak has had that number of children.

The oldest was born when she was 18, and the youngest when she was 42.

Two were given away, and one died shortly after birth.

Now get this: apparently all her married children and their spouses and 20 grandchildren live in the same house. Wow, that must be one noisy house.

Way to go mama, and a belated Mother’s Day wish to all mothers!

Source
The Star, 11 May 2009

… amazingly, on first impressions anyway, Ms Chu does not seem to have the body of a woman who’ve given too many births, no need to read diet pill reviews there …

The month of July 2008 was quite windy. The Star reported that on the 5th of July 2008 18 houses on the west coast of Sabah had their roofs blown off due to heavy rains and strong winds which peaked at 4am and continued for 30 minutes.

Someone recorded a TV3 newscast of someone describing what it was like [the man speaks in Sabahan Malay]:

Click here to see the video