MBKS mayor highlights Sarawak’s unity, promises Indian community participation in next Kuching Festival

Wee (front, second left) interacts with a stall owner at the Deepavali Bazaar 2024 at the carpark of the IAK multipurpose hall on Oct 23, 2024.

By Ashley Sim

KUCHING, Oct 23: Next year’s Kuching Festival Food Fair will include representation from the local Indian community, a promise made by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng in an effort to strengthen unity and showcase Sarawak’s rich diversity.

Wee extended an invitation to the Indian community to participate in the popular annual festival, noting that no Indian stalls were present at the last event.

“We have about 5,000 Indians in our city, but Sarawakians don’t count races or talk about colour. We make sure no one is left behind; we move together, and that’s what makes Sarawak unique,” he said during his speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Sarawak Deepavali Bazaar today at the carpark of the Indian Association Kuching (IAK) multipurpose hall here.

The mayor also emphasised the importance of events like the Deepavali Bazaar in promoting unity among Sarawakians.

“Everything starts small, but it’s a good start. Participating in each other’s festivals is one of the many ways we strengthen our sense of unity and common humanity,” he remarked.

Wee also expressed pride in the increase in activities in Kuching, from business events to cultural festivals.

He said that the ongoing development and increasing traffic in the city are signs of its growing vibrancy and economic health, with Sarawak poised to achieve its development goals by 2030.

The five-day Deepavali Bazaar 2024, running from Oct 23 to 27 and organised by the IAK, features stalls offering Indian cuisine, clothing, and henna art, as well as cultural performances.

Also present were Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) deputy permanent secretary Desmond Douglas Jerukan; Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Kuching president Shankar Ram Asnani; IAK president Ahtmanathan Vengidasalam; Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Batu Lintang chairman Sih Hua Tong; and other distinguished guests. — DayakDaily