LINGGA: The Kembara D’Astana programme continued with a stop at Lingga Town on Sunday, providing an opportunity to engage with the local people and reach out to the community in the area.

The Governor of Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi arrived at the Lingga Town jetty at 10:20 am.

They were welcomed by Lingga Assemblyman Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor, Bukit Begunan Assemblyman Datuk Mong Dagang, Sri Aman Division Resident Mahra Salleh, Lingga District Officer Frank Lani, and Sri Aman District Officer Shariff Bujang.

Upon arrival at the jetty, the delegation proceeded to Dataran Lingga for a photography session before continuing the programme at the Al-Hana Lingga Mosque Hall.

At the hall, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi and Toh Puan Fauziah spent time visiting exhibition counters and signing a family portrait of the late Temenggong Abang Bohari Abang Zen as a symbol of appreciation for local historical heritage.

In her welcoming speech, Dayang Noorazah informed that Lingga was chosen as one of the destinations for Kembara D’Astana due to its historical value and the significance of the area to the Governor of Sarawak.

According to her, the programme was an initiative by Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi himself, utilising a river route starting from Kuching to Triso and Sebuyau before arriving in Lingga.

She added that Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi’s experience as the Member of Parliament for Batang Lupar from 1990 to 2004 provided him with the opportunity to personally witness the developmental changes in Lingga, which has now grown from a sub-district into a full district.

The programme was also enlivened by a short video presentation resulting from research by researchers from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Kota Samarahan regarding the Lingga-Banting Kingdom, which forms part of the early history of government formation in the area.

During the same ceremony, the former Temenggong Abang Bohari presented a heritage manuscript to Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi as an effort to preserve local historical treasures.

Also taking place was the presentation of a replica cheque worth RM20,000 from Astana Negeri Sarawak to the Al-Hana Lingga Mosque.

The programme then continued with a lunch session with the local community before the delegation departed at 12:30 pm.

Also in attendance was the Advisor in the Office of the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Jaul Samion.-UKASnews

Translator: Sarah Nicole Hii
Photo by: Irfan Malek