Shafie Urges Industry Players To Reinforce "Lepa" Heritage

SEMPORNA (Sabah, Malaysia), April 21 (Bernama) -- Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal on Saturday urged industry players to engage in proactive and collaborative efforts to reinforce the 'Lepa' boat building heritage in the district. He said 'Lepa' building skills, believed to have its earliest origins in Bum Bum Island, needed to be maintained as a national heritage. "The water fest or Regatta Lepa will help to preserve Malaysia's cultural diversity," he said while speaking at the launch of the event held for the 19th time, by Sabah's Speaker of The State, Juhar Mahiruddin, here on Saturday. Also present were Juhar's wife Toh Puan Hajjah Nurida R.M Jasni, former Sabah's Speaker, Sakaran Dandai and Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Nasir Sakaran. Mohd Shafie, who is also Semporna MP, said the Regatta Lepa had helped to entrench Sabah and the district in particular, as a prominent tourist destination. He said the event had been effective in generating the state's economy and that of the local community through its ability to draw thousands of visitors. -- BERNAMA