By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: A Kongsi Raya carnival will be held this week to set an ASEAN record for the longest muhibah yee sang, measuring 1.5 kilometres.
Borneo Referral Group chief executive officer and organising chairman Brandon Chin said the carnival aims to showcase Sabah as a model of unity in diversity, while raising the state’s profile for trade, business and tourism within ASEAN.
The three-day carnival, from February 6 to 8 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), is expected to be officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Brandon said the event is designed as a community-based celebration that brings people of all backgrounds together, reflecting Sabah’s long-standing harmony and multicultural spirit.
“The purpose of the Kongsi Raya Carnival is to show that Sabahans live in unity and harmony. We want to set an example not just for Malaysia, but beyond, that different cultures can celebrate together,” he said.
He added that the record-setting yee sang tossing is intended to position Sabah prominently within the ASEAN region, while reflecting the true meaning of ‘muhibah’ by pulling people together.
Brandon said the ASEAN Secretariat, representing 11 member countries, has been notified of the record attempt, which is expected to be difficult to surpass due to the scale of coordination involved.
The yee sang preparation will involve about 300 volunteers from universities, colleges and secondary schools in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang, supported by 12 professional chefs from various hotels.
“In total, we expect about 600 participants, including confirmed representatives from the Indonesian, Korean and Japanese consulates, as well as local VVIPs and community leaders,” he said, adding that the tossing ceremony will take place at 2pm on the second floor of SICC.
Following the ceremony, about 4,500 boxed portions of yee sang will be distributed to charitable homes and patient care centres around Kota Kinabalu as part of the carnival’s corporate social responsibility efforts. The remainder will be given to participants and members of the public.
Brandon said the muhibah yee sang will feature premium ingredients, including smoked salmon, with more than 160 kilogrammes prepared for the record attempt.
The carnival will feature 100 vendors selling food, beverages and other products, alongside cultural and lifestyle activities, including an Adabi cooking competition, a Teh Tarik competition, a cheongsam showcase and a Raya fashion competition.
It will also host the Sabah–Singapore AI Jam, where a Singapore-based content creator will conduct a 30-minute session introducing artificial intelligence to the public.
“All volunteers and participants will receive digital certificates recognising their involvement in this historic event, which will be especially valuable for students as part of their co-curricular activities,” Brandon said.
Also present were co-organiser Dewan Perniagaan dan Industri Sabah honorary secretary Lisnawati Andin, Borneo Culinary Association Sabah and Sarawak president Chef Dion Jee and vice-president Rice Chong, Dr H.C. Azeeza Jalaludeen and administrator Belinda.
Brandon and Lisnawati (third from left and right), with, from left, Dr H.C. Azeeza, Dion, Rice and Belinda during the press conference.
