KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration will be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Saturday (March 28).
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said the moderate celebration is expected to draw around 20,000 visitors.
"As in previous years, this year’s celebration will begin at 10am.
"In addition to offering a wide variety of food to visitors, the programme will include the presentation of contributions to orphans and welfare homes, as well as performances by Sabah artistes.
"This celebration serves as a platform to strengthen ties among communities of various races and religions in the state," he told reporters after attending Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman's Hari Raya open house at Kg Bingkul in Beaufort on Tuesday (March 24).
According to Ariffin, Saturday's celebration also reflects gratitude for the peace and harmony in Sabah and marks the beginning of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 development agenda.
He said Musa and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will be among the state leaders attending Saturday's open house.
A total of 71 vendors and 15 hotels will be involved in preparing the food, he added.
Arifin said that the participation of vendors and small entrepreneurs also opens up economic opportunities for local businesses while ensuring food safety standards are met.
He said the concept of moderation in celebrating Aidilfitri aligns with the Federal Government’s advice that the people exercise prudent spending.
