BINTULU: Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) for hosting the Sarawak Ecotourism, Exploration and Expedition Cultural Night in Uma Belor, Sungai Asap, Belaga.
He described the event as an honour for the residents of the Murum area, particularly in Belaga, as it has the potential to boost tourism in the region, focusing on art, culture, adventure, and so on.
He said the Murum area is unique because of the diverse range of ethnic groups and tribes, rich in cultural heritage, art, and natural beauty, including flora and fauna.
“To preserve this heritage, art and culture, we have organised several Art and Culture Festivals every year. Among them, the Apau Koyan Art and Culture Festival, the Do Ledoh Festival (Kayan), the Lepa Ajau Ladong Bio Festival (Kenyah), the Saviek Festival (Kajang) and the Adet Tapo’ Festival (Penan).”
He expressed his gratitude for the support and assistance provided by all parties, particularly MoTAC, the Department of Agriculture, and other related agencies, in promoting the art, culture, adventure (Culture, Adventure & Nature @ CAN), and so on in the Murum area.
“It is our hope that these initiatives, guidance and assistance will encourage industry stakeholders, especially in our area, to progress, be competitive and contribute to the social and economic development of our society in line with the Sarawak government’s Post-Covid-19 2030 Development Strategy.”
He hoped to collaborate with MoTAC in organising these festivals and have them included in the Malaysian tourism calendar in the future.
Present at the event were the secretary of the Senior Management Division of MoTAC, Dato Shahruddin Abu Sohot; Sarawak MoTAC director Debbie Jenggut Nyelang; chief assistant senior secretary, MoTAC Industrial Development Division, Zulhelmi Zakaria.
