SAGO FESTIVAL (PESTA RUMBIA)

The Sago festival (Pesta Rumbia) is very famous in Kuala Penyu. It was celebrated in 09 to 10 July 2011. Kuala Penyu located in rural part of Sabah. Kuala penyu has been declared as a full region in 1975. Kuala penyu have the own history. The name of Kuala Penyu are taken in conjunction with a large of patch rocks located in the area of river bank, which is similar to the rocks as a form of ‘Turtle’. In the early 60s, Kuala Penyu by the call name ‘si tompok’ for the people of this area as referring to the patch of rocks found there. However, today the stones are doesn’t see because of the erosion of sea water. Kuala Penyu becomes the attraction of tourist because the Pulau Tiga that takes only 30 minutes by boat. The Sago Festival is one that has been incorporated into the featival calendar Sabah Tourism Board.

Sago was the staple food for the people of Malaysia, for rate and certain ethnic groups in some local and states. Even during the Japanese era or after World War II, when the rice had been carried colonists, sago was the daily food. Sago or sago palm trees usually grow in swampy areas or river banks. Sago plants are widely available in the Kuala Penyu, Sabah. Indeed, the Sago festival held in Kuala Penyu to demonstrated the consolation of products including food from sago palms. In the process of sago, the stem is cut and the contents of the stem machined or grated to obtain the result. The contents of the sago is fine will be soaked in water, so the starch will settle and float. For the people who make the sago as staple food for it is eaten with steamed fish, preserved fish, forest fruits such as petai. Sago is the name of a palm tree, which is planted around Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, and Sipitang area. People also call Sago “The tree of a thousand uses” coz you can use different part of the tree for making various items, for example, the leave as roof, branch as building material, trunk as food for human and livestock. Therefore, every year Kuala Penyu organises a Sago Festival (Pesta Rumbia) at Sawangan Beach.

The government is committed to intensity and develop the tourism sector as a catalyst for economic development in Sabah in particular and Malaysia in general. Therefore, Sabah Tourism Board was held in conjunction with the Rumbia Package Festival Fiesta Fruit and Food 2011 in Kuala Penyu Beach Sawangan. In addition, with this package Rumbia Festival, tour operators in the state are encouraged to bring as many tourists from abroad and also in the state to come experience the uniqueness of this festival. Some of the products on display, such as production of handicrafts, food and agricultural products in accordance with the direction of the Sabah government, which focused on three main sectors namely, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. The Sago festival was celebrated with many activities that can make our people will remember. It also have the own best attraction.