Small Hindu communities, big Deepavali spirit in Sabah and Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR, November 8 — Despite a small Hindu population, Deepavali celebrations in Sabah and Sarawak showcased a spirit of unity, uniting people of diverse backgrounds. Roughly 5,000 Indians make up 0.2% of Sarawak's 2.53 million residents, while approximately 6,000 constitute the same percentage in Sabah's 3.77 million population, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia data from 2026.

First-year serviceman R. Ruhthiran, 20, celebrated Deepavali away from his family in Klang, Selangor, for the first time while stationed in Penrissen Camp, Kuching, Sarawak. He expressed missing his family but enjoying his military service, describing the festival as beginning with an early-morning oil bath, followed by wearing new clothes and attending prayers at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at 8am. After prayers, the family typically returns home to visit relatives.

Pramod Kumar, a 67-year-old Kuching resident, said Deepavali remains a meaningful occasion, even though celebrations in Sarawak are smaller due to the state's limited Hindu population. He explained that the day begins with temple prayers, followed by family gatherings to celebrate and seek blessings, similar to practices in Peninsular Malaysia and India, albeit on a smaller scale.

In Sabah, people of various ethnicities and faiths joined the Deepavali festivities at the Sri Pasupathinath Alayam Temple in Kota Kinabalu. Geoffrey Lo, a 50-year-old first-time visitor, expressed excitement about the festival and the delicious food, calling it his first experience at the temple.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is set to attend the 2026 Deepavali gathering at the Sabah International Convention Centre at noon.