KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has allocated RM13.66 million this year to preserve its cultural and arts heritage, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at the Tawau International Cultural Festival (FKAT).
He said the State Government will continue to strengthen preservation efforts to boost tourism, with positive spillover effects for the local economy.
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Hajiji noted that festivals like FKAT benefit a wide range of people, including entrepreneurs, homestay operators, artists, and small traders. They also serve to educate the younger generation on the value of safeguarding the state’s cultural treasures.
He highlighted the RM27 million Tawau International Cultural Centre (TICC), scheduled for completion in December 2027, which will become a hub for arts and heritage. Once completed, it will elevate Tawau as a competitive international cultural centre.
With the theme “Cultural Diversity: Warriors, Handicrafts, and Marriage,” FKAT celebrates Sabah’s multiracial society and serves as a platform for cultural exchange, featuring participants from Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Hajiji said the festival not only promotes cultural exhibitions but also strengthens unity, fosters respect for heritage, and enhances Tawau’s role as a border town rich in cultural networks and regional cooperation.
