Bamboo Raft Fest an official event
Penampang: Pesta Rakit or Bamboo Raft Festival will be an official district level festival this year in conjunction with Worlds Rivers Day on Sept 25 at Kg Mahandoi, said District Officer Luvita Koisun.
Chairing the organising committee meeting, she said it would it would be opened by State Tourism Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and participated by government departments with exhibitions of their services.
This is the fifth year since it was started by NGOs such as Community-Led Environmental Awareness for Rivers (Clear) and community leaders at village level only.
“Last year I was invited to open the Pesta Rakit at Kg Kuai Kandazon, and was very impressed.
Hence, it must be continued with the involvement of everyone here. The Moyog river must be cared for since it is still the source of water supply for the water department intakes at Kasigui and Madsiang”, she said.
Luvita said this festival would be a catalyst for the revival of the river and be included in the tourism calendar since the minister had given a challenge to turn the river into a tourist attraction.
There will be outside participation from JICA a Japanese NGO and the French workers for the submarine at Sepanggar.
The events line up includes decorated raft competition with 12 expected participants, raft tug-of-war, raft paddling race, angling competition, casting net skill competition, children’s colouring, releasing of fish fry and tree planting at the river bank.Security and safety for this public event will be provided by the Police, Bomba and Rela.
If the river water is high and dangerous due bad weather, the Pesta will still continue with land based activities and exhibitions.
Before the meeting ended, Luvita announced that the major cleanup of the river bank via gotong royong will be on Sept 18, while anti-dengue and Zika fogging will be done a few days before at the festival venue.
On Sept 17, a workshop on River Environment Education Program will be held at a hall at Kg Babagon and participated by all community leaders in the district.
Source: Daily Express
