This year’s Pahang Heritage Festival will be held at the Tunku Azizah Royal Craft Village in Pulau Keladi, Pekan in Pahang from Sept 1–7.
Led by the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, the festival is a major cultural initiative aimed at preserving, promoting, and revitalising Pahang’s rich heritage.
The Royal Pahang Weave Foundation (Yayasan Tenun Pahang Diraja), under the patronage of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and Tunku Azizah, play a central role.
Tunku Azizah, who enjoys cooking, will also host a cooking demonstration, showcasing her passion for traditional cuisine.
The festival will be launched on Merdeka Day at 8.30pm at the Pekan Maritime Museum by Al-Sultan Abdullah. The evening will also feature the launch of the Tunku Azizah Heritage Foundation.
There will also be the groundbreaking ceremony of the Al-Sultan Abdullah Village of Hope.
A Royal Pahang Weave Competition – the Tunku Azizah Cup – featuring 20 finalists will also take place, with 18 participants being inmates from Penor and Bentong Prisons, highlighting their skills as part of an ongoing rehabilitation initiative.
The judges will assess entries based on four criteria: excellence and originality, craftsmanship, innovation, and commercial potential. Most importantly, the products must be produced using handcrafting techniques as defined in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation guidelines for handicrafts.
The competition offers a total of RM104,000 in cash prizes, along with trophies and certificates.
Other highlights include:
• A ‘Soulful Art Exhibition’ by veteran singer Datuk M. Nasir.
• Craft exhibitions and sales of wood, tenun, batik, metal, ceramic, woven rattan and screw pine (mengkuang) products.
• Workshop by Kraftangan Malaysia entrepreneurs featuring woodcarving, batik, weaving, ceramics, jewellery-making, and international crafts from Laos (silk reeling), Singapore (pineapple and kenaf fibre), Indonesia (natural dye), and Turkiye (embroidery).
• Wood carving demonstrations by the Jahut tribe, and Semelai tribe sash, mat, and basket weaving.
• Heritage culinary demonstrations and competitions: Sambal Pahang, Ulam-inspired dishes, and ‘Makanan Citarasa Bangsawan’.
• Cultural and artistic performances: Sewang and cultural performance by the Jakun community, Silat Gayung, Gendang Pahang, Rodat, Gamelan Melayu, and other performances, including buskers. There will also be a Maulidur Rasul celebration (Selawat Nabi and Dikir Pahang) on Sept 5.
• Traditional games like gasing, congkak, wau, batu Seremban, hopscotch, and carrom.
• Exhibitions and special programmes: East Coast gastronomy and culinary and textile heritage, digital storytelling, trade and tourism showcases, and TVET student fashion and wellness programmes.
• Sarawak Pavilion: Highlighting the traditional cuisine, crafts, and cultural heritage of Sarawak.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg is scheduled to attend the festival.
The Pahang Heritage Festival is an important platform to celebrate and preserve the state’s shared heritage, and reflects its commitment to cultural sustainability while promoting greater appreciation and participation among the younger generation.
The festival is open to the public. Admission is free.
