Clan associations more relevant in today’s world, says Sim

KUCHING: Clan associations can play an even greater role in today’s increasingly interconnected world.

In stating this Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said this they can do by helping the younger generation understand their surname heritage, family history and cultural traditions.

He said clan associations also had an important role to play in preserving cultural heritage, supporting charitable initiatives and strengthening social harmony.

Dr Sim made these remarks at the silver jubilee celebration of the Sarawak Pui Clan Association here.

The association marked its 25th anniversary cum 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival with a dinner gathering, bringing together clan members, community leaders and delegates from Malaysia, China and Indonesia.

Dr Sim said the 25-year milestone reflected the association’s enduring role in strengthening fellowship among members, preserving cultural heritage and contributing to the wider community.

He said the association had grown to more than 200 members, while the Pui clan community in Sarawak is estimated to comprise more than 20,000 people, reflecting the community’s strong presence and close-knit ties in the state.

“Twenty-five years is a milestone worth cherishing,” he said.

Dr Sim also highlighted the significance of the gathering, which brought together Pui clan members and delegations from China, Indonesia and other parts of the world, noting that shared family roots and cultural heritage continued to connect members across geographical boundaries.

He expressed confidence that the association, under the leadership of its president Penghulu Alex Pui and its committee, would continue to grow and contribute through clan fellowship, cultural preservation, charitable activities and community service.

Meanwhile, organising chairman, Pui Po Chong, said the 25th anniversary represented not only a celebration of the association’s journey but also the collective efforts of successive committees, members and supporters who had contributed to its development.

He recalled that the association was established 25 years ago by community elders with a simple aspiration to unite members of the Pui clan, despite having limited resources at the time.

“Twenty-five years later, here we are tonight, with young and old gathered together to celebrate our Silver Jubilee,” he said.

He said the combination of the Silver Jubilee and Mid-Autumn Festival carried a special meaning, symbolising both growth and reunion, while expressing hope that the association would continue to grow and that younger generations would remain proud of their Pui heritage.

The celebration also welcomed Xing Weiping, Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, the Pui Clan Delegation from the Zhuhai Quhu Public Welfare Promotion Association in China, as well as Pui clan delegations from Singkawang and Pontianak, Indonesia, alongside community leaders, clan elders and members from across Malaysia.

Also present at the dinner were Deputy Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment, Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh and his wife, Datin Dorothy Sylvester Pungga.