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Daily Express

Festival to showcase Beluran's cultural heritage and tourism potential

Published on: Saturday, August 16, 2025 Published on: Sat, Aug 16, 2025 Text Size: Hajiji officiates the festival. - Pic by CMD BELURAN: The inaugural Beluran Labuk Fest 2025 has been highlighted as an important platform to preserve cultural heritage, strengthen community unity, and stimulate rural economic growth. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the festival reflected strong public support for the state government's commitment to uphold local arts, culture, and identity. He added that the celebration not only showcased the uniqueness of Beluran's cultural traditions but also served as a way to foster togetherness among the people. Speaking at the launch at Fama Tamu ground here on Saturday, Hajiji said the spirit of cooperation demonstrated during the festival should be emulated to ensure cultural heritage continues for future generations. In conjunction with the event, Hajiji also launched the Sabah Blood Cockle Industry and Resource Development Project at Beluran Jetty as a continuation of the pilot initiative started in Tuaran in July. The 1,300-hectare project involves 650 households working collectively on blood cockle farming, expected to produce 3,240 metric tonnes annually worth around RM34.4 million, with a potential sevenfold return on investment. He said the community-based aquaculture initiative would generate income, create jobs, and at the same time protect marine habitats, positioning Beluran as a benchmark for sustainable aquaculture in the region. During the same event, Hajiji presented 180 Native Title land grants covering more than 297 hectares in Kolapis, Pulau Klagan, and Sapi, reaffirming the government's commitment to secure land ownership for rural communities. The Chief Minister also proposed that Beluran Labuk Fest be included in the state tourism calendar to attract more visitors and boost the local economy through traditional music, dances, and attire unique to the district. He further announced approval for a new tourism jetty and road in Kampung Air Beluran, while urging Yayasan Sabah to review requests from long-time settlers for land within its holdings to be allocated as village reserves. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia