KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has wished wished a Happy Gawai Dayak to the entire Dayak community, especially those in Sarawak and wherever they are celebrating.

He hoped that the festival would bring prosperity and good fortune to the Dayak people while also strengthening family and fraternal bonds and fostering unity among the various ethnic communities in Sarawak.

He said the traditional festival celebrated by the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu ethnic groups to mark the end of the harvest season also reflected the the rich cultural heritage of the Dayak community and symbolised unity in diversity among among Sarawak’s multi-ethnic society.

“Gawai Dayak is a celebration that elevates the identity of the Dayak community as a whole, and it is crucial for us to celebrate the unity that forms the foundation for shared prosperity.

“The special thing about Sarawak is that regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, everyone can sit together, eat together, and celebrate any festival together, making the Land of the Hornbills an exemplary model of tolerance, harmony, and unity in the country,“ he said on Facebook today.

Fadillah also prayed for the safe travels of those returning to their hometowns or longhouses to celebrate the festival with their loved ones.