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KOTA MARUDU: Kaamatan Festival should be promoted as a tourism attraction while efforts are intensified to welcome local and international visitors ahead of Visit Sabah Year 2027, said Deputy Chief Minister  Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.

Joachim, who is also Works and Utilities Minister as well as State Kaamatan Festival Main Organising chairman, said the initiative could help increase foreign tourist arrivals and further boost Sabah’s economy.

He also called on all parties to embrace the spirit of Kaamatan by putting aside past differences and ending disputes to strengthen harmony among the people.

Joachim said Sabahans should celebrate harmony despite differences in ethnicity, beliefs and political ideologies, adding that the people of Sabah largely shared the same roots and there was no benefit in conflict.

He said the theme “Kaamatan: Harvesting Unity, Celebrating Harmony” reflected the people’s unity despite Sabah’s diverse communities and highlighted the importance of preserving cultural identity while continuing to modernise traditional attire through contemporary designs.