Taking the harvest festivals to KL

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the government may host the National Tadau Kaamatan and Gawai Open House celebrations in Kuala Lumpur from next year.

"Having the event in Kuala Lumpur will enable Malay-sians in the peninsula to learn more about the culture and heritage of the Kadazandusun in Sabah and the Dayak and Iban in Sarawak.

"We want to enhance national integration by helping all communities to learn more about the people of Sabah and Sarawak," he told a meeting with media editors yesterday.

Rais also said the ministry would review the role of the Information Department in Sabah and Sarawak in view of the rapid development in information technology and the presence of satellite television provider Astro.

"In the 1980s, there was no Astro or handphones. The Information Department spread information by meeting the people.
"Things are different now. The department must evolve and improve its services, especially in getting information on government policies to the rural areas and interiors of Sabah and Sarawak."

Rais suggested that Radio Televisyen Malaysia form a smart partnership with Astro so that people in rural areas could enjoy watching TV programmes they would otherwise have no access to.