BETONG: Betong Division has been selected to host the 2026 Sarawak-Level Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Official Birthday Celebration, scheduled to take place from 11 to 15 June.

As part of early preparations, a site visit and Main Committee Meeting No. 1/2026 were held on 28 April, led by Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai who is also the Minister-In-Charge for the celebration.

The visit covered several key locations identified as programme venues, namely Masjid Jamek Betong, Dewan Panglima Rentap and Dewan Sukan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan.

Also taking part were Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Director of the Sarawak Protocol, Ceremonial and Event Management Unit Datu Hamdan Sharbini, as well as Betong Division Resident Datu Richard Michael Abunawas together with other heads of departments.

The visit began as early as 10 am with a comprehensive assessment of venue suitability including capacity, parking facilities, entry and exit routes, safety aspects, traffic control, as well as logistical requirements such as publicity systems, seating arrangements and stage setup.

Immediately after the visit, a coordination meeting was held at the Kenyalang Meeting Room, Betong Division Resident’s Office, to review findings from the site visit and further refine implementation plans.

The meeting also included presentations by participating agencies covering security, traffic management, logistics, VIP protocol, publicity and technical coordination throughout the celebration period. -UKASnews

Translator: Suhaila AW