(From left) Simoi, Abdul Karim and Rohani press airhorns to launch Lingga festival.
SRI AMAN: Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has agreed to include Pesta Lingga in the State’s tourism calendar.
Its minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that Lingga has its own tourism attractions for Sri Aman division.
“Though Lingga is just a small town, it is famous for the most delicious Ikan Terubok locally called Ikan Terubok Lingga,” he said at the opening of the festival at Lingga Waterfront yesterday.
He said following a discussion with the area people’s representative, the ministry has agreed to include the festival in the tourism calendar aside from Pesta Benak here.
At the event, he announced an allocation of RM 100,000 for the hosting of the festival next year.
Meanwhile, Lingga assembly-woman Simoi Peri said good response from the locals and outsiders for the past few years is the push towards the listing of the festival into the tourism calendar.
“I am happy that this festival will be included in the tourism calendar as this will bring more development into the area. The annual hosting of the festival can also improve the local economy.”
Due to the popularity of the festival, she suggested to hold it on a larger scale and change the name to Lingga Regatta.
Present at the event were Batang Lupar MP Datuk Seri Rohani Karim, Sri Aman Resident Indit Bangai, Sri Aman District officer Ismawie Salleh and community leaders.