PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

ICT has transformed daily life, but many cultures risk being forgotten as technology advances and values shift. While ICT use in cultural heritage is growing, communities need to take the lead in using it for preservation. For ICT to support cultural preservation, it must be accessible and provide platforms for documentation and sharing. Although the government has invested heavily in ICT in Malaysia, indigenous communities in Sabah, like the Kadazan-Dusun, have not benefited equally, raising concerns about their ability to preserve their culture using ICT. This paper investigates (1) the determinants of ICT adoption in cultural preservation and (2) how it impacts Kadazan-Dusun culture. A mixed-method approach with a sequential explanatory design was employed, beginning with quantitative data collection from 400 respondents, followed by qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 12 key informants. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to examine the ICT adoption determinants, while thematic analysis explored its impacts. Findings indicate that social influence (SI) has the strongest significant influence on cultural preservation within the Kadazan-Dusun community, highlighting the community’s reliance on social networks to drive technological engagement for preserving cultural heritage. The interviews reveal that ICT adoption positively supports cultural preservation efforts by facilitating easier documentation, sharing, and promotion of cultural practices through various digital platforms despite the challenges posed by modernization and limited resources. The study underscores the importance of integrating cultural factors into technology adoption models, such as UTAUT. It highlights the role of social influence and facilitating conditions, such as enhancing ICT accessibility and affordability and providing skills training, to enable successful ICT adoption for cultural preservation among the Kadazan-Dusun community.

• Adam, A. A., Othman, N., & Halim, A. A. (2021). Indigenous knowledge transfer among Dusuns and Bajaus in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: Approaches and challenges. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(11), 1722-1734. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i11/11656
  
  Affendi, R. (2024). Interdisciplinary exploration of AI and social science for sustainable development in Sabah, Malaysia. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4806174
  
  Ali, M. M. H. (2010). The maintenance of Malaysia’s minority languages. Retrieved June 28, 2017 from irep.iium.edu.my/9829/4/ICMM2010_p27.pdf
  
  Alpeus, R., & Hussain, S. A. S. (2018). The application of theory of play in studying tangon (folklore) of Kadazandusun community’s sustainability. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325641942
  
  Annuar, S. N. S., & Dawayan, C. R. (2022). Kaamatan goes virtual: Utilizing social media in promoting tourism event. In A. Hassan (Ed.), Digital transformation and innovation in tourism events (pp. 60-71). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003271147-8
  
  Ashraf, M. M., Grunfeld, H., & Quazi, A. (2015). Impact of ICT usage on indigenous peoples’ quality of life: Evidence from an Asian developing country. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 19, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v19i0.1076
  
  Aslom, D. E. M. (2019). Changes in Kadazan Dusun marriage customs: A case study at Kampung Maang, Penampang, Sabah. Borneo Research Bulletin, 50, 66+.
  
  Bagang, T. P., Puyok, A., & Mersat, N. I. (2021). The 16th Sabah State election: Kadazandusun politics and the Huguan Siou factor. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities , 6(10), 404-412. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v6i10.1122
  
  Banfi, F., Previtali, M., Stanga, C., & Brumana, R. (2019). A layered-web interface based on HBIM and 360° panoramas for historical, material and geometric analysis. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLII-2/W9, 73-80. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-2-w9-73-2019
  
  Bozan, K., Parker, K., & Davey, B. (2016). A closer look at the social influence construct in the UTAUT model: An institutional theory based approach to investigate health IT adoption patterns of the elderly. In 2016 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) (pp. 3105-3114). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/hicss.2016.391
  
  Chong, L. S. (2015). Why the ancient musical essence is still retained in Dusun Tindal’s instrumental music within its modern community? Global Journal of Business and Social Science Review, 3(3), 24-31. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2015.3.3(3)
  
  Cosmas, G., Sombuling, A., Melai, B. A. A., & Poninting, A. (2019). Does the possession of a Kadazandusun traditional costume and the capability to play a traditional musical instrument differentiate an individual’s identity orientation? Athens Journal of Social Sciences, 6(3), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajss.6-3-5
  
  Fang, Y. X., Gill, S. S., Kunasekaran, P., Rosnon, M. R., Talib, A. T., & Abd Aziz, A. (2022). Digital divide: An inquiry on the native communities of Sabah. Societies, 12(6), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12060148
  
  Fang, Y. X., Gill, S. S., Rosnon, M. R., & Talib, A. T. (2021). Factors of ICT adoption and cultural preservation among the Kadazandusun community in Sabah. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(11), 1836-1847. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i11/11664
  
  George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference. 11.0 update (4th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.
  
  Gizzi, F. T., Biscione, M., Danese, M., Maggio, A., Pecci, A., Sileo, M., Potenza, M. R., Masini, N., Ruggeri, A., Sileo, A., Mercurio, F., & SWA Working Group. (2019). Students meet cultural heritage: An experience within the framework of the Italian School-Work Alternation (SWA)—from outcomes to outlooks. Heritage, 2(3), 1986-2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030120
  
  Grace, G. C. (2021). Psychological strengths contributing to rural student’s academic performance in Kadazandusun. Moldavian Journal for Education and Social Psychology, 4(2), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.18662/mjesp/4.2/18
  
  Hutson, J., Ellsworth, P., & Ellsworth, M. (2024). Preserving linguistic diversity in the digital age: A scalable model for cultural heritage continuity. Journal of Contemporary Language Research, 3(1), 10-19. https://doi.org/10.58803/jclr.v3i1.96
  
  Ibrahim, S. I. H. (2022). Promoting cultural heritage through diverse digital marketing channels. History Research, 10(1), 54-58. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20221001.16
  
  Jati, R. (2023). Cultural identity and community media: Empowering the cultural community. Presented as Guest Lecturer in “Media and Identity” Seminar. 10.13140/RG.2.2.24621.46560. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374975765_Cultural_Identity_and_Community_
  Media_Empowering_the_Cultural_Community
  
  Joa, C. Y., & Magsamen-Conrad, K. (2021). Social influence and UTAUT in predicting digital immigrants’ technology use. Behaviour & Information Technology, 41(8), 1620-1638. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1892192
  
  John, B. (1996). Sejarah perkembangan sosio-ekonomi masyarakat Kadazan/Dusun di Sabah: Tumpuan kepada daerah Tambunan [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
  
  Jolius, J. (2023). Nunuk Ragang monument, Ranau: The symbol of culture and beliefs of Dusun community. Jurnal Borneo Arkhailogia (Heritage, Archaeology and History), 8(1), 169-188.
  
  Kamal, S. A., Shafiq, M., & Kakria, P. (2020). Investigating acceptance of telemedicine services through an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Technology in Society, 60, 101212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.101212
  
  Khong, C. Y., Gill, S. S., Samah, A. A., & Talib, A. T. (2021). Cultural preservation through ICT amongst ethnic minorities in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(11), 1848-1861. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v11-i11/11665
  
  King, V. T. (1993). Tourism and culture in Malaysia. Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science, 20, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1163/080382492X00013
  
  Lajuni, N., Lunad, M., Agok, D., Dusim, H. H., & Atim, V. P. (2022). Community attachment and leadership styles. Journal of Borneo Social Transformation Studies, 8(1), 20-39. https://doi.org/10.51200/jobsts.v8i1.4145
  
  Lasimbang, R., & Kinajil, T. (2000). Changing the language ecology of Kadazandusun: The role of the Kadazandusun Language Foundation. Current Issues in Language Planning, 1(3), 415-423. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664200008668015
  
  Magsamen-Conrad, K., Wang, F., Tetteh, D., & Lee, Y-I. (2020). Using technology adoption theory and a lifespan approach to develop a theoretical framework for e-health literacy: Extending UTAUT. Health Communication, 35(12), 1435-1446. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 10410236.2019.1641395
  
  Manikowska, E. (2022). The challenge of the heritage of protest movements. Culture Unbound Journal of Current Cultural Research, 14(2), 179-201. https://doi.org/10.3384/cu.3982
  
  Nam, N. T., & Thanh, N. N. (2024). The role of local communities in the conservation of cultural heritage sites: A case study of Vietnam. Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 14(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.55493/5003.v14i2.5057
  
  Nguyen, T., Lee, K., Chung, N., & Koo, C. (2019). The way of generation Y enjoying Jazz festival: A case of the Korea (Jarasum) music festival. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 25(1), 52-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2019.1580755
  
  Olushola, T., & Abiola, J. O. (2017). The efficacy of technology acceptance model: A review of applicable theoretical models in information technology researches. Journal of Research in Business and Management, 4(11), 70-83.
  
  Puyok, A., & Bagang, T. P. (2011). Ethnicity, culture and indigenous leadership in modern politics: The case of the Kadazandusun in Sabah, East Malaysia. Kajian Malaysia: Journal of Malaysian Studies, 29, 177-197.
  
  Rahayu, A. A. A. N. S., Sudharma, K. J. A., & Sutrisni, K. E. (2023). Melukat ritual for commercialization and protection toward cultural tourism in Bali. In 3rd International Conference on Business Law and Local Wisdom in Tourism, (pp. 618-629). https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/icblt-22/125984147
  
  Rahman, M. K., Rana, M. S., Akter, S., & Hassan, A. (2022). Technology innovation as a destination branding tool for festivals and events tourism. In A. Hassan (Ed.), Technology application in tourism fairs, festivals and events in Asia (pp. 135-147). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8070-0_8
  
  Sarjit S. Gill, Talib, A. T., Asnarulkhadi, A. S., Sridar, R., Abd Hakim, M., Puvaneswaran, K., Mohd Roslan, R., Choo, Y. K., & Fang, Y. X. (2019). Developing a model of ICT adoption and its impact on cultural preservation amongst the native people of Sabah. Unpublished research report.
  
  Susanti, S., & Koswara, I. (2017). The use of social media in local culture preservation. In A. Kasim, N. A. Hamid & S. M. Rashid, Growing with media. Proceedings of International Conference on Media Studies 2017 (pp. 685-690). Universiti Utara Malaysia.
  
  Tang, R., & Gavin, M. C. (2016). A classification of threats to traditional ecological knowledge and conservation responses. Conservation and Society, 14(1), 57-70. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-4923.182799
  
  United Nations. (2003, December 8-11). Report of the global forum of indigenous peoples and the information society. Genev. https://undocs.org/E/C.19/2004/3
  
  Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
  
  Zhou, P., Chen, F., Song, P., & Zhu, C. (2019). Does the development of information and communication technology and transportation infrastructure affect China’s educational inequality? Sustainability, 11(9), 2535. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092535