Sabah to hold National-level Aidilfitri MADANI 2024 celebration today

KOTA KINABALU: The nationallevel Aidilfitri MADANI 2024 celebration will be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here today.

It will start as early as 10.30am until 3pm and is organised in collaboration between the Sabah government as the host and the Ministry of National Unity as the lead ministry.

Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin will officiate the celebration, themed ‘Perpaduan Melalui Perayaan’ (Unity Through Celebration). Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will also be in attendance.

The programme which serves as a platform for all Malaysians regardless of background to come together in the spirit of unity and harmony, also marks the beginning of the Kembara Perpaduan Tour programme in conjunction with the 2024 Unity Week Celebration coming up in May.

Speaking to Bernama, Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim said that the Aidilfitri MADANI celebration could serve as a platform to strengthen the spirit of goodwill, especially among the people in Sabah, as well as a space for leaders to meet with the people.

Jahid also hopes that more similar programmes will be held in Sabah to further strengthen the unity of the people of various races in the state.

“This is the first time such a programme, at the national level, is being held in Sabah. We hope that it will be a good start as a programme like this can foster unity,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Assistant Minister of Finance I Datuk Julita Majungki said that the event would not only capable of being a platform for strengthening relations between communities in Sabah, but also foster the spirit of understanding the festivals of other races.

This programme also indirectly provides an opportunity to appreciate the festivals of other races by celebrating them together, she said.

Sabah is among the seven states selected to host the Aidilfitri MADANI 2024 celebration with the Prime Minister, apart from Melaka (April 22); Kelantan (May 2); Kedah (May 4); Penang (May 5); and Terengganu on May 9.

On Thursday, Johor became the first state to host the celebration at the state level at Padang Begonia, Angsana Johor Bahru Mall.