KAPIT :Kapit District Office has been entrusted by the Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department and Belaga State As semblyman, Datuk Liwan Lagang to organise the first Merit Festival. Kapit District Officer, Elvis Didit revealed this at a press conference recently.
Nanga Merit is a sub-district of Kapit famous for coal mining. According to Elvis, it has been proposed that the three-day festival will begin on November 24.
“The venue is Rumah Anthony. We feel after our first visit to the area a few months ago that the longhouse is big enough to accommodate the big crowd and the Tuai Rumah (headman) is quite friendly and very helpful. We feel that the longhouse is most appropriate” he added.
Among the v a r i ous pro – grammes slotted for the festival will be mini football, a community canoe extreme challenge passing through the Pelagus Rapids, longboat races, fishing competitions, a cross country race, a mountain bike challenge and an ethnic beauty contest. “In addition, we also have programmes by the Community Development Office (KEMAS).
We may set up stalls to be organised by schools and also the longhouse so that they can get some funds out of it,”, explained Elvis. “We have agreed to bring in Belaga District Officer, Juan Ubit as the deputy organising chairman while I am the chairman. We will involve folks from down river Belaga Town,” he added.
