KUCHING, July 13 — The Sarawak Day celebration this year will be held on a smaller scale with only one formal event to be held at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex on July 22.

Due to the challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic, the minister-in-charge of this year’s Sarawak Day celebration, Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the invited guests are limited to only 100 people.

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and their wives are among the distinguished guests invited to attend this year’s Sarawak Day celebration, he added.

"The theme for this year Sarawak Day celebration is ‘Sarawak Gemilang Untuk Semua’ to acknowledge the fighting spirit and solidarity shown by the people in the state for the past 15 months due to the pandemic,” he said to the press after chairing a meeting on the celebration at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.

Dr Sim said besides the distinguished guests, the unsung heroes during the Covid-19 pandemic, including food delivery riders and rubbish collectors, as well as members of the non-governmental organisations will be invited to attend the event at DUN complex.

In a press statement on the event, it was stated that this year’s Sarawak Day celebration will be broadcast live through TVS, Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) Facebook and YouTube pages and Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) radio channel at 8.15pm.

The celebration will be in a hybrid format with live and virtual performances to be arranged by the State Protocol, Ceremony and Event Management Unit.

During the night, there will be a welcoming dance performance depicting the lives of a multi-racial in the state who live in peace and harmony, and a contemporary dance entitled "Sarawak Bahagia” will also be performed.

There will also be a poetry and pantomime special performance that symbolically display the unity of the diverse community shown to weather through the difficulties posed by the pandemic.

"Video presentations conveying messages on the people’s fighting spirit and the concerns of leaders are displayed through the Aspirasi Sarawakku Sayang video, a short film I am Sarawak and documentary video titled The Struggle,” said the statement.

Dr Sim, who is Local Government and Housing Minister, said there will also be a special song performance entitled Sarawak Gemilang, composed by Sarawak-born Alvin Wee who had made a name for himself in Hollywood.

The song will be performed by local singer Nurafizah Busman and song explores the meaning behind the theme of Sarawak Day 2021.

Furthermore, Dr Sim added Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) will be organising a TikTok competition for the public, especially the youth, to show off their creativity on the meaning of being a Sarawakian.

More details regarding the competition will be provided soon.

"I call on all Sarawakians to fly the Sarawak flag on July 22 as a mark of respect to this special day. You may fly the flag at your own house, premises, buildings and shophouses,” said Dr Sim.

July 22 was first made a public holiday by the late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem in 2016.

Those in this year’s Sarawak Day celebration included Assistant Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industry Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Naroden Majais, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring) Datuk Sharifah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sport Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs and Ukas Abdullah Saidol. — Borneo Post Online