Kanowit Festival Continues To Serve As Platform For Uniting People Of All Races

SIBU, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- The Kanowit Festival continues to serve as a platform for bringing together people of different races, religions and cultures, said National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang.

He said the festival, which began in 2003, is not only a much-anticipated annual event for local residents, but also plays a role in fostering unity and harmony in rural communities.

“Unity is not just a slogan but a way of life that must be reflected through understanding, respect, acceptance and the celebration of diversity,” he said in his speech at the Kanowit Festival 2025 closing ceremony here today.

Aaron said the spirit of unity and goodwill displayed during the festival was a reflection of the true essence of harmony in Malaysia.

“When the Kanowit community, consisting of Iban, Malay, Chinese, Melanau and other ethnic groups, comes together under a single festival, it shows that unity is not merely a concept but a reality we can achieve,” said the Kanowit Member of Parliament.

Aaron said this aligns with the Ministry of National Unity’s 2026 aspiration, which aims to make nation-state building a central means of fostering unity among the people.

“Nation-state is more than a political concept or slogan; it represents the spirit of unity among the people, rooted in the understanding that we share one homeland, one destiny and one future.

Aaron said that nurturing the nation-state spirit in all districts, including Kanowit, can strengthen national unity and cultivate a generation who are proud of both their ethnic heritage and their identity as Malaysians.

“This is the grand vision we aim to expand from Kanowit to the whole of Malaysia to build a united, sovereign and prosperous nation,” he said.

Aaron also called for programmes such as the Kanowit Festival to be further enhanced through the active participation of the local community, including youth, the arts sector and the tourism industry, to establish Kanowit as a model of rural unity.

The Kanowit Festival, which has been held since Oct 18, features a variety of engaging activities, including the Kanowit RC Boat Race Challenge, Kanowit Power Boat Race, exhibitions by government departments and agencies, Unity Walk, Gagong Parade, Gendang Pampat, and the Kanowit Festival beauty pageant.

The festival also helps promote Kanowit District as a rural tourism destination under the slogan “Where Memories Are Made”, highlighting the cherished experiences that every visitor takes home.

-- BERNAMA