PENAMPANG: The Sabah government has approved an allocation of RM3.5mil to upgrade facilities at Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, the venue for the annual state-level Kaamatan celebration every May 30 and 31.

       Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this included expansion works for the hall backstage, an additional holding room as well as a permanent structure for stalls outside the venue.

       "We prioritise our cultural (preservation) and that is why I am pleased to announce the approval of this request by the KadazanDusun Cultural Association (KDCA)," he said at the celebration’s opening ceremony on Monday (May 30).

       The Kaamatan public holiday falls on May 30 and 31, but it is a month-long harvest festival launched on May 1.

       Each district will then hold its respective celebrations and pick a district Unduk Ngadau (beauty pageant) representative.

       The festival's culmination will be at the venue here at month's end, with a two-day event that is a showcase of food, handicraft and culture.

       Food and beverage stalls at night however, normally start operating 10 days to two weeks before the culmination of festivities.

       The state-level Unduk Ngadau winner is traditionally crowned on May 31.

       In his speech at the launch, KDCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Clarence Bongkos Malakun, representing president and Huguan Siou (paramount leader) Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, made the application for a special allocation on behalf of the committee.

       He highlighted the need to expand the backstage area as it could no longer accommodate the growing number of Unduk Ngadau contestants who needed to prepare before going onstage.

       "This stage was built in 1990, over 30 years ago. At the time there were 30 to 32 contestants, but today we have 44 contestants with sub-districts (then) being upgraded to full districts now, and with a growing number of representatives from outside Sabah.

       "The backstage (area) is no longer suitable and we need to give them a comfortable space with air-conditioning and additional amenities like more toilets," Malakun explained, adding that there was room for this expansion at the back of the hall.

       He added that there was also a need for a holding room at the backstage area for VIPs.

       "The Yang di-Pertua Negeri comes every year (on May 31) and he usually needs a place to conduct solat prayers, so we should prepare a room inside KDCA.

       "At the same time, KDCA excos have requested an allocation for permanent stalls in front of the hall, as the recent heavy rain and strong winds damaged many stalls operating at night," he added.

       Malakun noted the need to have more facilities like public restrooms as it would be embarrassing if the toilets at the venue were insufficient for international tourists.

       "Hopefully we can start upgrading works this year, so we are ready by Kaamatan next year," he said, adding that parking space was another issue the committee was trying to overcome.

       In a related development, Malakun suggested that it may no longer be suitable to call the Unduk Ngadau competition a state-level event, as it now attracts participants from the Klang Valley, Johor, Melaka, Penang and Putrajaya as well.

       "We have been told that there are already requests for participation from Perak and other states as well for next year.

       "Maybe in future it could be referred to as the national-level Unduk Ngadau," he said.