Pangkalpinang host 4-day Islamic Malay festival

Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pangkalpinang, Bangka-Belitung

State Minister of Tourism and Culture I Gede Ardhika opened on Saturday an Islamic Malay festival in the town of Pangkal Pinang, Bangka-Belitung (Babel) province, in the hope that the four-day event would further unite and strengthen ties among the Malay people.

It is the first festival of its kind to take place in Pangkalpinang, the capital city of Bangka-Belitung.

The minister said the festival, organized by the local administration, could introduce and promote Malay culture among other countries.

Moreover, the event could bring positive economic development to the three-year old province, he said.

"Through the festival, the province could introduce to other countries the potential of the province's rich natural resources and its tourist attractions and thus attract much-needed foreign investment," he said.

The opening ceremony was attended by the president of the Malay World Islamic World (DMDI), Datuk Seri Muhammad Ali bin Muhammad Rustam, who also serves as the chief minister of Malacca state in Malaysia.

The DMDI was founded five years ago and has its headquarters in the town of Seri Negeri Ayer Keroh, Malacca.

Datuk said the Muslim Malay community should unify its vision and mission to preserve their own culture.

During such a global era, the Malay people should change their approach to life. So far they have worked as government or state officials or served as artists, he said.

"Such a pattern should be changed, so that the Malay people can also master technology and become entrepreneurs. We should not be left behind by Western nations," Datuk added.

Also present at the DMDI festival that will last until Dec. 17 were representatives from 20 provinces, including West Sumatra, Riau, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, East Kalimantan and Jakarta.

Other countries, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Brunei Darussalam and Sri Lanka also sent delegates.

"We have invited several countries to witness directly the potentials of tourism in Bangka-Belitung. It can attract foreign visitors. Besides, we also hope investment will come from abroad," provincial governor Hudarni Rani said.

Despite heavy rain almost the whole day on Saturday, thousands of local people enthusiastically showed up to watch various Malay cultural attractions during the event.

The festival among other things featured the striking of 33 giant traditional drums (bedug) accompanied by Malay zapin music.