Pairin Supports Call To Make State Kaamatan A National-level Celebration

KENINGAU, May 23 (Bernama) -- Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan has expressed support to the call to turn the state-level Kaamatan Festival into a national-level celebration.

He said the federal government should entrust Sabah to organise the event.

Sabah had been successful in organising the annual festival, he said, adding that the celebration's grand finale on May 31 should be recognised as the national-level Kaamatan Festival.

"We are grateful to the federal government for recognising Kaamatan Festival as a national celebration and several national Kaamatan open houses have already been held.

"The only thing is that they are being held as a separate celebration," he said when opening the Keningau district-level Kaamatan Festival, here.

Pairin, who is also the paramount leader of the Kadazandusun, welcomed the suggestion by state assembly speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak who proposed that the state-level Kaamatan Festival be recognised as a national-level celebration.