MIRI, May 14 ― The Tourism and Culture Ministry is studying the possibility of organising the annual Lun Bawang Festival outside Sarawak.

Its Sarawak director, Suriya Charles Buas said the festival is celebrated by the Lun Bawang community that is well known for its hill salt, highland rice, vest and comboy hats made from tree barks.

He said the festival, locally known as “Irau Aco Lun Bawang”, may be held in Kuala Lumpur as the community is also present in the Peninsula too besides in Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan Indonesia.

“The festival showcases the Lun Bawang culture and arts that can be promoted maybe in Kuala Lumpur on a bigger scale,” he said at a media conference, here today.

Suriya, who is Sarawak Lun Bawang Association vice-president, said presently there were festivals being held at the Peninsula and Sabah but on a smaller scale.        

On the part of the ministry, he said, promotion on the homestay programme involving the Lun Bawang community has been on-going at the Singapore, Japan and Korea trade fairs.

In a related development, Sarawak Lun Bawang Association president Ipoi Datan said, the 29th Lun Bawang Festival 2016 will be held in Lawas on June 3 and 4.

“We hope this year will be more grand than before,” he said adding that the festival would be a gathering of the Lun Bawang community from all over the world.

Ipoi said Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem has been invited to officiate at the festival.

He said the community can be found in Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia while some are working or residing in Peninsular Malaysia and Australia.

On future plans, Ipoi, who is the Sarawak Museum Director, said it is looking at the possibility of resconstructing the fort at Trusan Lawas that was built in 1885 that could become the place to showcase Lun Bawang cultural activities as well the other communities too. ― Bernama