I Have the same problem with a german MDA Vario V from t-mobile. I solved it with the tool
ssmaho 0.0.4.0, where you can change the left softkey (which is contacts in this model). The only problem is, on the the people tab there is also the left softkey assigned to contacts and this softkey now starts the same program as on the home tab. I can live with it.
Gerd