Kanowit: The Kanowit Festival continues to serve as a platform for bringing together people of different races, religions, and cultures, said National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang. He said the festival, which began in 2003, is not only a much-anticipated annual event for local residents but also plays a role in fostering unity and harmony in rural communities.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aaron emphasized that unity is a way of life that should be reflected through understanding, respect, acceptance, and the celebration of diversity. In his speech at the Kanowit Festival 2025 closing ceremony, he highlighted that the spirit of unity and goodwill observed during the festival reflects the true essence of harmony in Malaysia.
The Kanowit community, consisting of Iban, Malay, Chinese, Melanau, and other ethnic groups, coming together under a single festival demonstrates that unity is not just a concept but a reality that can be achieved. Aaron, who is also the Kanowit Member of Parliament, noted that this aligns with the Ministry of National Unity’s 2026 aspiration to make nation-state building central to fostering unity among people.
Nation-state is seen as representing the spirit of unity among people, based on the understanding that they share one homeland, one destiny, and one future. Aaron stressed the importance of nurturing the nation-state spirit in all districts, including Kanowit, to strengthen national unity and cultivate a generation proud of both their ethnic heritage and their identity as Malaysians.
He expressed the vision to expand this spirit from Kanowit to the whole of Malaysia to build a united, sovereign, and prosperous nation. Aaron also advocated for enhancing programmes like the Kanowit Festival through active participation from the local community, including youth, the arts sector, and the tourism industry, aiming to establish Kanowit as a model of rural unity.
The Kanowit Festival, which has been ongoing since October 18, includes a range of activities such as the Kanowit RC Boat Race Challenge, Kanowit Power Boat Race, exhibitions by government departments and agencies, Unity Walk, Gagong Parade, Gendang Pampat, and the Kanowit Festival beauty pageant. The festival also promotes the Kanowit District as a rural tourism destination under the slogan “Where Memories Are Made,” highlighting the cherished experiences visitors take home.