Divers from the Labuan Fisheries Dept raising the Federal Territories flag underwater on Jan 18. The ceremony, held ahead of FT Day on Feb 1, also coincided with the launch of the department's coral reef restoration project. – BERNAMApic
LABUAN: The Labuan Corporation (LC) is celebrating the 39th Federal Territory Day this year in style.
Ahead of FT Day which falls on Feb 1, LC successfully hoisted the Federal Territories flag underwater at Rusukan Kecil Island on Wednesday (Jan 18).
Fifteen divers from the Labuan Fisheries Department took part in the underwater ceremony.
LC chief executive officer Rithuan Ismail said the idea was to invoke patriotic feelings in the hearts of the people on the island and to mark the elevation of Labuan to one of the nation's Federal Territories.
He said a Federal Territories Flag Hoisting campaign, which is part of the Federal Territory Day celebration this year, was launched on Sunday (Jan 15).
"The campaign is to encourage citizens to hoist the tricolour flag of the Federal Territories at their homes and business premises to mark the 39th Federal Territory Day,” he said.
He said the corporation has started flying the Federal Territories flag along the main streets of downtown Labuan.
During the 30-minute underwater ceremony, the FT flag comprising three horizontal bars in yellow, blue and red, with the country's coat of arms in the middle, was hoisted five metres below the surface, said Labuan Fisheries director Faizal Ibrahim Suhaili.
"We managed to unfurl and hoist the flag underwater successfully, and it will remain there," he added.
Faizal Suhaili said the ceremony coincided with the coral reef restoration programme by his department. – Bernama
