Members of the Persatuan Kebajikan Song/Kapit/Kuala Lumpur/Selangor show ‘Made in Sarawak’ items on sale at their booth.
KUALA LUMPUR: The ‘Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak’ programme, which took place at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here recently, remains the best venue for Sarawakians residing in Peninsular Malaysia to gather as a ‘big family’ and connect with one another.
According to Persatuan Kebajikan Song/Kapit/Kuala Lumpur/Selangor secretary Biggels Nicholas Bengi, the annual event started small 10 years ago as a Hari Raya gathering – it has now grown into a ‘must-go’ event for Sarawakians in the peninsula.
“We fully support Lan Berambeh as it is the perfect venue where we can exhibit the colours and uniqueness of Sarawakians to the people here.
“Lan Berambeh is now the best platform where we can meet Sarawakian leaders from back home and have two-way interactions. Sessions such as the dialogue with ministers is the best, so we can understand policies introduced and why the government introduces such measures to the people,” he said.
Biggels pointed out it was the first time that the association was allocated booths where they sold various crafts and food from Kapit and Song.
For Namazi Salleh, the brother of rock singer Noh Salleh, Lan Berambeh opens up the opportunity for him to promote his food truck business – the first of its kind here selling Sarawak delicacies.
He set up the business in Klang Valley two years ago with his wife Ranizah Rahbi and since then, the response has been good. Based on the reception to his business at Lan Berambeh 2017, he would definitely join the event next year.
“The uniqueness of our food truck business is that most of our items are homemade – the only thing imported from Sarawak is the ‘belacan’ (fermented shrimp paste) and Laksa Sarawak paste. We even have our homemade ‘Mee Kolo’.
“We have a growing number of West Malaysian customers and we are very excited to promote Sarawak food to the crowd in Klang Valley,” said Namazi, adding that the food truck was ‘a present from my wife for our ninth anniversary’.
For Zunaidah Jafri, who came to Lan Berambeh for the third time, the event is like ‘a family gathering away from home’.
“I always make it a point to come here and it’s the best way to cure my homesickness,” said Zunaidah, who works in Shah Alam.
Hoping that the event would continue for years to come, Zunaidah said the session with Sarawak leaders was the best way for her to catch up on issues concerning her home state.
Held annually over the past 10 years, the Lan Berambeh programme has reached attendance of more than 15,000, gathering Sarawakians residing in Peninsular Malaysia – especially those in Klang Valley.