Kota Kinabalu: The 10th edition of the Tawau International Cultural Festival (FKAT), set for Aug 2, is expected to be more vibrant than ever. Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, said the festival – now in its 10th year – will be officiated by the Head of State Tun Musa Aman.
“Today, together with the Tawau Municipal Council President, I extended an official invitation to Tun Musa to launch the Tawau International Cultural Festival, which will be held on Aug 2, 2025 in Tawau.
“As we all know, this festival is a legacy programme initiated by Tun Musa during his tenure as Chief Minister of Sabah, with the first edition held in 2011.
“Hence, the people of Tawau are truly honoured to invite Tun to personally officiate this year’s festival, which will also be attended by the Chief Minister,” he said.
Nizam said the annual festival continues to enjoy strong support, drawing around 50,000 visitors and contributing significantly to the local economy.
“Every year, the festival attracts no fewer than 50,000 visitors who come to Tawau to witness the highlight of the event – the cultural performances, including a parade showcasing various ethnicities and traditions.
“FKAT is a much-anticipated annual event, not only among Malaysians but also our neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and other Asean nations, many of which participate in the cultural showcase.
“Sabah itself is home to diverse ethnic groups and cultures, and this festival provides an ideal platform to promote Tawau as a town where cultures from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei meet.
“I’ve been informed that preparations for international participation are underway, and I’m confident that, as in previous years, we’ll see participants not only from within Malaysia but also from Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand and occasionally even the Middle East.
“This certainly brings economic spillover benefits, promotes Tawau, and fosters unity among our multi-ethnic and multi-faith population under one nation, particularly in Tawau,” he told reporters after paying a courtesy call on the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Musa Aman, at Istana Seri Kinabalu, here, Thursday.
In a related development, Tawau Municipal Council President Joseph Pang said the 10th FKAT will highlight themes of marriage, heroism and handicrafts.
“Our festival concept changes from year to year, and this time we will feature elements of marriage, heroism and traditional crafts.
“Approximately 30 ethnic groups will take part in the performances. We’ll divide them into three categories – 10 ethnic groups will showcase marriage customs, 10 will highlight elements of heroism and the remaining 10 will focus on handicrafts,” he said.
