Pesta Besaug Dalat 2025 sets new standard for festival excellence, says Fatimah

DALAT (Nov 30): The Pesta Besaug Dalat 2025 has set a new benchmark for event organisation, with its level of commitment and professionalism being hailed as a model for future events.

According to Sarawak Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the festival’s success is a testament to the strong spirit of the Dalat community.

She highlighted that this was achieved not only through vibrant programmes but also via the close cooperation of all involved parties.

“The festival is the result of a close collaboration between government agencies, non-governmental organisations, community leaders, private sectors, and the local community,” she said in a speech delivered at the event’s closing ceremony yesterday.

“Their combined expertise and effort ensured that every component of the festival ran smoothly and achieved its intended goals,” she said in a speech read by Dalat District Officer Mathew Hubert.

Fatimah, who is also the Dalat assemblywoman, noted that the working committee’s dedication was evident across all stages – from initial planning and logistics to safety arrangements and cultural programme management.

“Everything was carried out with dedication. This success demonstrates that when we unite and work as one team, we are able to produce high-quality outcomes that bring significant benefits to the community,” she remarked.

Pesta Besaug Dalat continues to serve as a prestigious platform to uphold cultural heritage, foster unity, and promote the district as a key tourism destination.

The festival featured a wide array of activities, including a children’s colouring contest, a children’s beauty pageant, Besaug E-Sport competition, Melanau dance workshop, youth entrepreneurship course, karaoke and poco-poco competitions, and a ‘bermukun’ session.

As always, the annual, traditional ‘perahu bidar’ race remained the most anticipated highlight of the event.