SIBU: The Sibu Indoor Stadium was filled with excited members of the public attending the Sarawak Day celebration as early as 6pm.
Thomas Luke was amongst the earliest to arrive expressed his excitement to watch the night’s spectacular line up of performances.
Admitting that he has seen the performances in full rehearsal, the 18-year-old student from the United Kingdom said he cannot wait to see the performers in their full customs.
“I am here with a friend who is in the orchestra, we came over this week and have been in Sibu since Tuesday (July 19).
“This is my first time in Sarawak, I feel fortunate to be here to witness one of the most important celebrations for the state,” he said.
He said he will tell all his friends back home of the new experiences from his short stay in Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Siti Hajijah Ahmad shared that she feels proud of how Sibu was selected to host the grand celebration.
The 44-year-old homemaker pointed out that Sibu continues to see various development projects taking place and it is indeed benefitting the local community.
“The people of Sibu have been anticipating the celebration to take place here. I brought my children with me to attend this celebration.
“I hope they will feel more patriotic and appreciate our history after witnessing the performances,” she said.
She added that it is important for the younger generation to appreciate the sacrifices that the forefathers have made which allowed Sarawak and its people to enjoy harmony to this day.
As for Awang Arbi Awang Bujang, he feels fortunate that his dance troupe was presented with the opportunity to be part of the celebration.
The director of Petra Dancers disclosed that the dance troupe had a tight schedule for preparation and rehearsal leading up to the big day.
“We are honored to have been invited to be part of the first physical celebration since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The preparation for this has been quite a journey especially with the dancers’ customs that involve incorporation of LED lights as well as the coordination of choreography and music,” he said.
He expressed hopes for the COVID-19 to fully subside so that Sarawak Day celebration with bigger crowds can be done in the years to come.
For dancer Sharifah Nur Najihah, she said she was extremely thrilled that her dance troupe were able to get together and be part of a show again.
She said they have been training and preparing for over a month, adding that she felt nervous to be on stage with a big crowd after some time off.
“I hope that the audience will enjoy the performances and understand the message that we want to convey,” she said.
