Biggest ‘Ketupat’ is the biggest attraction of Perak Visit Year 2024
SUNGAI SIPUT: A replica of the largest ketupat 16.46 meters (m) high and 13.41m wide in Kampung Bahagia here will be one of the attractions of Perak Visit Year 2024, said state Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee Chairman, Loh Sze Yee.
He said the state government had channeled an allocation of RM100,000 to build a replica of the ketupat which was started on April 3 while the rest was sponsored by the villagers.
According to Loh, the ketupat replica is one of the initiatives for the Year of Visiting Perak 2024 with its uniqueness allowing tourists to take pictures and upload them on their respective social media sites.
“Kampung Bahagia is a Malay village in the middle of the Siput River, this (replica of the largest ketupat) is to maintain the tradition of the Malays and why we chose the ketupat motif,” he said after inaugurating the biggest Ketupat and State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Holiday Celebration. Jalong at Kampung Bahagia Recreation Field here, last night.
Meanwhile, Loh said the target of 500,000 foreign tourists who will visit the city of Ipoh until the end of this year in conjunction with the Year of Visiting Ipoh 2023 by the Ipoh City Council (MBI) is accurate.
“The targets announced by MBI are very coincidental. Yesterday we were at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and we discussed with the minister (Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing), he is very supportive of the state government’s efforts, but we cannot announce the allocations and contributions given because there needs to be an official document,” he said.
On May 11, the mayor of Ipoh, Datuk Rumaizi Baharin, said that the target was based on the achievement until last April which saw approximately 50,000 foreign tourists visit the city, which is a 10-fold increase compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
