PASIR SALAK: A 16-kilometre water procession was held along Sungai Perak in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebrations on Wednesday (Sept 16), showcasing the river’s vast potential as a tourist attraction and a source of economic opportunities for local communities.
A total of 100 boats, adorned with the Jalur Gemilang and the Perak state flag, participated in the patriotic display.
Pasir Salak Community Development Department (Kemas) chairman Ramelle Ashram Ramli said the event, held for the first time in collaboration with the Perak State Fisheries Department, brought together communities from 13 villages, including inland fishermen and residents.
"We took about a month to prepare for this event, which brought the local community together for a one-and-a-half-hour journey from Kepala Pulau Jetty to Sungai Buaya.
"Apart from celebrating Malaysia Day, we want to use this event as a platform to promote Sungai Perak’s tourism potential and give visitors a glimpse of the local community’s way of life,” he said when met by reporters at Kepala Pulau Jetty here.
Ramelle Ashram added that the programme also aimed to highlight the role of nearly 300 inland fishing families within the parliamentary constituency.
"Through this event, we hope to highlight the role of the local inland fishing community and help create opportunities for them to improve their socio-economic well-being,” he said.
Ramelle Ashram expressed hope that the boat procession would become an annual event, with wider participation from government agencies and the programme growing in scale in the future.
He urged the authorities and industry players to make greater use of social media to promote riverside areas along Sungai Perak, as they offered a range of attractions, including homestays with a traditional kampung atmosphere and the Pasir Salak Historical Complex, which could be promoted to tourists. – Bernama
