Chong presenting goodies to one of the recipients under the Food Bank programme.
KUCHING: Sarawakians of different ethnic groups are urged to promote their rich and unique cultures and heritage to the rest of Malaysia.
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Chong Chieng Jen said it was imperative for Sarawakians to do so in an effort to have their cultures and heritage preserved.
“In the past, the people in the state tend to keep the cultures to themselves, having no efforts to bring them out of Sarawak.
“With national-level events such as the National Gawai Dayak 2019, the people in Sarawak will have the opportunity to showcase their culture and heritage from different ethnicity to the rest of Malaysia especially to West Malaysians,” Chong said when officiating the Rami Gawia Semeba, Community and Consumerism 2019 held at Kampung Semeba Community Hall yesterday.
He then noted that it was the first ever Gawai Dayak event organised by a federal government ministry such as KPDNHEP.
The two-day event was jointly organised by the ministry, AEON Malaysia and Heineken Malaysia Berhad.
Sarawak KPDNHEP director Datuk Stanley Tan was also present during the event.
After officiating the event, Chong gave out goodies to five recipients under the Food Bank programme.
Under the ministry, the programme was launched earlier this year in an effort to assist needy individuals by distributing edible leftover foodstuffs donated from wholesalers and retailers.