MIRI: Deepavali in Sarawak this year will have added historical significance for the Indian community in the state.
They want to trace their roots and contributions towards the development of Sarawak to make this Festival of Lights truly meaningful.
The Indians in Miri are also celebrating a milestone – the 70th anniversary of the Miri Indian Association.
Association president Karambir Singh, who is also Sarawak Indian Association vice-president, said it had been 70 years since the association was formed although the Indians had roots that date back to the pre-colonial era.
“It is time to trace our historical origins; how the Indians came to this state and the many significant contributions that the community have made towards the development of Sarawak.
“The Indians have been here since the early days of oil and gas exploration. We also played an important role in the peacekeeping forces and the military.
“We have a very colourful history and we must record it,’’ he said at an early Deepavali celebration here in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of the association.
Karambir said the Indians had also been involved in the early trading that contributed to Sarawak becoming an economic hub.
He noted that the Indians had been involved in the trade of textiles and spices, and the food industry in Sarawak, for generations.
“They are also very active in the services industry, especially in the medical and legal fields. There are also many engineers from our community. All of them played important roles in the development of Sarawak,’’ he stressed.
Miri Mayor Lawrence Lai, who joined in the 70th anniversary cum Deepavali celebrations here, said the state authorities were grateful to the Indians for their role in shaping the state economy.
The Miri City Council, he said, had approved plans for the Indians to have a plot of land to construct a building. He added that the council would also build an Indian Garden in the Miri City Fan recreational park to acknowledge the community’s contributions.
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