PUSA: The Bertandak Gendang Melayu Sarawak competition, held in conjunction with the Beladin Countdown 2026, served as an important platform in efforts to preserve traditional Sarawak Malay cultural arts while introducing their uniqueness to the local community.
Beting Maro assemblyman Datuk Razaili Gapor said that the organisation of the programme not only safeguards customs and cultural heritage but also showcases the uniqueness and beauty of Sarawak Malay drum dance art to people from all walks of life.
He added that Sarawak is rich in cultural diversity and traditions that must be preserved so they are not lost to time, in line with the state government’s efforts to strengthen cultural identity and heritage tourism products.
“This art form must be preserved as it is a valuable heritage treasure for the Sarawak Malay community,” he said.
He said this when officiating the prize presentation ceremony for the competition at Dataran Temenggung Kadir, here yesterday (Jan 3).
He also said that the competition featured various Sarawak traditional art performances that reflected harmony and unity within the multi-ethnic community, and received an encouraging response from the local public.
He stressed that programmes like this should be continued as they are able to strengthen bonds of fellowship while highlighting the uniqueness and special qualities of cultural diversity in the area.
The competition saw Rentak Warisan Semarang emerge as champions in the children’s paired Bertandak category, followed by Warisan Beladin as runners-up and Khazanah Beladin in third place.
In the adult category, Seni Warisan was crowned champion, while Selendang Mayang secured second place and Lenggok Tradisi finished third.
