Festival highlights shared heritage, promotes unity, and preserves traditional recipes among Sandakan’s diverse Chinese communities.

“Through food, we remember our origins and the contributions of our ancestors, while nurturing respect, togetherness and harmony among society,” Sabah deputy chief minister Joachim Gunsalam said at the launch of the Chinese Traditional Food Festival 2026 in Sandakan.

He said traditional dishes were more than daily fare, describing them as symbols of heritage, history and identity passed down through generations.

Joachim noted that Sandakan is home to at least fifteen Chinese ethnic groups, including Teochew, Hakka and Hokkien, each with distinct culinary traditions.

He said the active involvement of community associations in showcasing traditional cuisine through such festivals was vital to preserving and uplifting cultural heritage.

“Festivals like this not only display the diversity of traditional cooking, but also create space for people of different races, religions and backgrounds to interact and better understand each other,” he said.

At the event, he thanked organisers and participants for ensuring the success of the festival and expressed hope it would continue as an annual programme that brings Sabah’s multiracial communities together.

Separately, Joachim said his ministry remained committed to improving water supply stability in Sandakan.

He said ministry officials would carry out working visits across Sandakan, Kinabatangan and Telupid over the next two days to identify issues related to water supply, roads, sewerage, public utilities and basic infrastructure.