Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Brunei Community Association (PMBS) will introduce the Ambuyat Festival starting this year, said its President Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif.
The State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister said the Ambuyat Festival would alternate with the Baurung-Urung Festival held for two consecutive years since 2022.
“For this year, we will hold the Ambuyat Festival to alternate every two years with the Baurung-Urung Festival,” said Dr Mohd Arifin at the PMBS Aidilfitri Celebration at the Raia Hotel, Sembulan, here, Sunday.
He said the Ambuyat Competition was previously one of the events in the Baurung-Urung Festival before it was elevated to a festival that focused on and had a positive impact on sago products.
He said that as a traditional food of the Sabah Bruneians and other communities in the State, the time has come for PMBS to raise this product to be recognised as one of the products to attract tourists.
According to him, a Main Committee has been established and chaired by former State Government Deputy Secretary Datuk Masnah Matsalleh, who is also PMBS Vice President.
This committee is currently making plans for the Ambuyat Festival.
“If all goes well the Ambuyat Festival will be held in September or October this year,” he said.
Regarding PMBS, Dr Mohd Arifin said the association established the Yayasan Dangsanak Sabah (YDS) two years ago led by its Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sabdin Ibrahim.
YDS has implemented several activities to improve the economy and education of the young Bruneians in Sabah.
“For this year we have delivered a donation of RM1,000 to all 30 PMBS branches throughout Sabah to hold their activities in conjunction with Ramadan last month,” he said.
He added that YDS would continue to be empowered so that it provides benefits to the Bruneian community in Sabah as a whole.
He thanked PMBS Vice President Datuk Ahmad Shah Talip, who is also the Chairman of the PMBS Aidilfitri Celebration, and its main committee members for successfully organising a programme that could further strengthen the bond of friendship between PMBS members and Sabah Bruneian community leaders in the State.
Dr Mohd Arifin was also very proud of the presence of the two former Presidents and founders of the Sabah Brunei Association (BERNAS) Datuk Saidon Basni and Mahmod Tahir and two other former PMBS Presidents Datuk Pengiran Mohd Hussin Pengiran Tahir Nasaruddin and Datuk Mohd Yusof Mohd Kassim.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Shah in his welcoming speech said the PMBS Aidilfitri celebration was held to enable PMBS members to meet not only the highest leadership of the association but also top government officials and old acquaintances.
“The Aidilfitri celebration is the best way to meet old friends again because some of the guests have retired from government service,” he said.
The celebration was attended by more than 350 guests including Deputy Chief Minister III cum Works Minister Datuk Ir. Shahelmey Yahya, who is also the Patron of PMBS Tanjung Aru Branch, the Consul General of Brunei in Sabah, Hipni Matarsad and his wife, the Junior Consul of Brunei to Sabah, Mohamad Asrul Abdul Samad and his wife, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Hanafiah Mohd Kassim, two former Kota Kinabalu Mayors Datuk Abdul Ghani Rashid who is also the Chairman of the PMBS Tatua Council and Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim, PMBS Deputy President Datuk Pengiran Saifuddin Pg Tahir, Vice Presidents, PMBS Central Committee members and senior State and Federal Government officials.
In addition to the Brunei community and rendition of Hari Raya Aidilfitri songs accompanied by Kumpulan Gambus Kuswari from Kg Binsuluk Membakut, guests were also served with traditional food of the Brunei community in Sabah brought by PMBS branches.
