SEREMBAN: About 7,000 visitors are expected to attend the Negri Sembilan-level Deepavali Open House at the Seremban City Council Hall on Nov 14, from 11am to 4pm.
Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim (pic) said the state government had also increased its allocation for this year's Deepavali Carnival to RM70,000 from RM30,000 last year.
He said a variety of dishes representing the diversity of the state's communities and cultures, particularly traditional Indian cuisine, would be served at the event, allowing visitors to enjoy an array of food in a spirit of goodwill and harmony.
"The state government invites all Negeri Sembilan residents to attend the Deepavali celebration in large numbers to foster goodwill among the communities.
"Our aim is to ensure that every celebration is held in a lively, harmonious and joyful atmosphere, strengthening ties among the communities and further reinforcing the unity that has already been established," he told reporters after officiating the 2026 Deepavali Carnival here on Saturday (Nov 7).
Ismail said allocations had also been channelled to rural areas, including estates, to ensure that programmes and the distribution of contributions in conjunction with Deepavali could benefit needy members of the Indian community.
"We want to ensure that no one is left out from receiving the assistance and facilities provided by the state government," he said.
In a separate development, he said the proposal to gazette Jalan Dato Lee Fong Yee as Seremban's Little India would be discussed in detail with the Seremban City Council mayor before any decision was made.
He said the area, which had previously been known among the local community as Little India, had the potential to be developed into one of the state's tourist attractions. – Bernama
