SIBU: The full rehearsal of the Townhall programme in conjunction with the 2026 Sarawak Day Celebration ran smoothly at the Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud Chancellor Hall, Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS), here on Tuesday as final preparations ahead of the programme.

The programme is expected to be officiated by the Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg on Wednesday evening.

The rehearsal began with an introduction session by Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department of Sarawak (Corporate Affairs, Information and UKAS) Datuk Abdullah Saidol, who also serves as the moderator, before continuing with a simulation of the Townhall session and dialogue with the participants.

The rehearsal aimed to ensure the smooth running of the programme covering the aspects of ceremony management, event itinerary, technical coordination and the participation of all agencies involved to ensure its smooth implementation.

Present to witness the rehearsal were the Deputy Director of the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) Mohamed Faizal Shah Ali, as well as representatives of relevant agencies involved in organising the programme.

The Townhall programme in conjunction with the 2026 Sarawak Day Celebration is poised to serve as an important platform for the people, particularly students, to interact directly with the state leadership, in addition to obtaining clarification on Sarawak's policies, initiatives and development direction. -UKASnews