A festive day with no-frills

KUCHING: Those celebrating Deepavali in Sarawak do not have the luxury of a public holiday to usher in the Festival of Lights.

Unknown to many, Sarawak is the only state in the country where the celebration is not a public holiday. This is due to the Indian community’s small population.

Out of 2.5 million Sarawakians, Indians make up between 5,000 and 7,000 people.

For the younger generation like Asha Devi Kaushal, whose father is Hindu and mother is Catholic, Deepavali is almost a non-event in Sarawak.

“It is easy to forget that Deepavali is nearing as there is hardly anything to remind you that the festival is around the corner unlike Kuala Lumpur, where the malls are full of decorations,” said Asha.

The older Asha gets, her family’s Deepavali celebration has become a lot less festive.

“When we were younger, we had dinners like barbecues to celebrate the occasion. We invited family and close friends over. But even that’s not easy because there is no public holiday,” said Asha.

She has never taken leave for Deepavali in her 10 years of working.

“We have dinner but my brothers and I would be working during the day. Sometimes, we travel for work during the period so it is not a big thing for us anymore.”

Most Sarawakian Indians would agree the state government should declare Deepavali a public holiday.

A public holiday would enable more Sarawakians of other races and faiths to visit their friends celebrating Deepavali, community leaders have long said.

“I do hope Adenan considers the request favourably,” said Kapitan Lucy Lingam, referring to the Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“Adenan is more inclusive. He has already called for Chinese and Indians not to be labelled as pendatangs (migrants).

“Definitely, we feel that we are more part and parcel of society now,” Lucy added, speaking from Kuala Lumpur as she had joined her husband’s family for Deepavali.

Since the late 1970s, the Sarawak government’s policy has been to allow Hindu civil servants to take a day of unrecorded leave. In recent years, the state has also reminded schools with Indian students to avoid examinations on Deepavali.

Last week, Local Government and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh told reporters the state Cabinet would be revisiting the matter.

Stopping short of promising a public holiday, Wong said the state might look into amending laws that would allow Hindus in the private sector to also enjoy unrecorded leave.

“But in order for this to be recognised, it has to be written into the Sarawak Labour Ordinance.

“I will bring this matter to the state Cabinet.

“I’m sure my colleagues in the Cabinet, particularly Adenan will consider this sympathetically,” Wong said.