By: Nurul Fazliana Norman
PENAMPANG: Aug 23, 2026 — Indigenous communities in Borneo must harness artificial intelligence (AI) technology to secure their future while safeguarding their languages, cultures, identities, and traditional knowledge from digital threats, a community leader said yesterday .
The Borneo Dayak Forum President, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffry G. Kitingan, warned that threats facing indigenous peoples are no longer confined to land loss but now encompass the loss of data, languages, identity, and ownership rights over traditional knowledge.
He stressed that technology should not reduce indigenous culture and knowledge to mere content for algorithms or data that can be exploited without regard for community rights and dignity.
“Technology must serve indigenous communities, not rob them of their rights,” he said in his keynote address at the Sabah Indigenous Peoples Day 2026 (SHOAS2026) celebration at the Koisaan Cultural Village (KCV), Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), Penampang.
Kitingan asserted that indigenous communities must be part of shaping the technological future, not merely accepting decisions made by others.
He noted that ancestral knowledge regarding forests, rivers, biodiversity, and community life represents a form of intelligence that must be continuously preserved.
He called for a balance between AI development and what he termed “Ancestral Intelligence” — the inherited wisdom that teaches values, balance, responsibility, and sustainable ways of living.
“Artificial Intelligence teaches machines how to learn. Ancestral Intelligence teaches humans how to live,” he added.
Kitingan urged Borneo’s indigenous communities to strengthen unity and solidarity in defending their collective interests.
Despite being separated by political borders, he noted that communities in Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, and Brunei Darussalam share intertwined histories, cultures, environments, and heritage.
He also called on the government to recognise indigenous communities as strategic partners in national development, including in education, entrepreneurship, science, technology, and innovation.
Development must ensure indigenous communities can maintain their identity while enjoying opportunities in the economy and digital world, he said.
Kitingan specifically urged indigenous youth to master AI, science, and technology without abandoning their languages, culture, and ancestral roots.
“You should not have to choose between being indigenous and being modern,” he said.
SHOAS2026 is being held from August 21 to 23 at the Koisaan Cultural Village, Penampang, bringing together representatives of indigenous communities from Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei Darussalam, and international indigenous groups.
The programme includes an International Forum, Women’s Assembly, economic and sovereignty discussions, cultural and heritage activities, a Cultural Night, the International Indigenous Cultural Ambassador Pageant, and the Kota Kinabalu Declaration 2026.
The declaration is expected to articulate aspirations regarding indigenous rights, cultural sustainability, environmental preservation, education, economic empowerment, and responsible technology use.
