RAFT FESTIVAL DRAWS CROWD
Penampang event held in conjunction with World Rivers Day
KRISTY INUS PENAMPANG news@nst.com.my
RESIDENTS here came out in droves this weekend for the district-level Pesta Rakit (raft festival) at the Kampung Terawi jetty here.
The festival, held to promote a love for rivers, included rafting activities.
It drew in communities around Sungai Moyog, who visited booths promoting environmental activities protecting rivers. Residents participated in side programmes, such as a recycledmaterials fashion show and a singing competition.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun congratulated the organisers for raising awareness about the need to care for the environment, and the need to keep the river clean.
He called on government agencies to formulate approaches to stop pollution in Sungai Moyog, the river being an important source of water in the district and neighbouring districts, such as Kota Kinabalu, Putatan and Tuaran.
“The issue lies with human activities, especially industrial waste, domestic sewage and effluent from mills.
“With action from various parties, including communities here, I believe we can see the river change for the better, and we can proudly hold river-related recreational sports in the future,” he said in his speech, read by his assistant, Datuk Pang Yuk Ming.
Masidi said the government would continue to support activities that bring people closer to nature.
He said the goal was to enable future generations to inherit a clean environment.
Held in conjunction with World Rivers Day 2017, which falls on the last Sunday of September, the event was a testament to the fact that the government and villagers here were serious about raising awareness about river rehabilitation. Penampang district officer Luvita Koisun, the event’s organising chairman, said the event, held by non-governmental organisation CLEAR (Community-Led Environmental Awareness for our River) since 2012, was announced as an official annual district event last year.
“We appreciate the collaboration with the Drainage and Irrigation Department for this year’s event. We hope to continue this government-community collaboration in the future.”