Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports to receive additional funds for tourism in Sarawak
Abang Johari and Juma’ani in a ‘wefie’ session after a briefing on RWMF 2017 and Rainforest Fringe Festival 2017 at Sarawak Tourism Complex.
Anang Johari points to a picture being exhibited at the Sarawak Tourism Complex after attending a briefing on RWMF 2017 and Rainforest Fringe Festival 2017 at Sarawak Tourism Complex. He is accompanied by Abdul Karim (second right), Joe (right) and Lee (left).
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg has promised to give additional budget to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports next year to promote tourism in Sarawak.
Abang Johari, who is a former minister of tourism, arts and culture, said he had gone through it all and would definitely help minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah on the issue.
“Next year, I will give additional budget to the tourism ministry to promote Sarawak. I have gone through that ministry and now that I’m the chief minister, I definitely know what to do to help the minister,” he told reporters after attending a briefing on Rainforest World Music Festival 2017 (RWMF 2017) and Rainforest Fringe Festival 2017 at Sarawak Tourism Complex here yesterday.
During the briefing, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) acting chief executive officer Mary Wan Mering, among others, told the audience that the ticket sales for this year’s RWMF was 12 per cent more than last year.
To this, Abang Johari acknowledged that RWMF had managed to attract many tourists to Sarawak.
“We, however, need to improve the flight connectivity (to Sarawak) besides promoting the state’s tourism products.”
On a related development, Abang Johari also announced that the Rainforest Fringe Festival would be held next year.
“Next year, I think Abdul Karim will continue, maybe with slight improvements. He will find ways and means to upgrade the Fringe Festival next year.”
He said the idea to hold the Rainforest Fringe Festival was mooted last year when the ministry wanted to have certain changes in the way the RWMF is run.
“I met Joe Sidek who has successfully done the Georgetown Festival in Penang about two years ago. So I asked him why not you (Joe) work together with us and try to organise a festival in Sarawak which is different from Penang’s because ours is more on nature. We want to link music with what are in the rainforests.”
“Because when you go inside our rainforest, you will hear insects and birds that make certain sound. So this is the idea and Joe Sidek accepted my challenge. Now, you see this year it is quite different from last year. We also want hotels to cooperate with us,” he added.
After visiting the gallery at Sarawak Tourism Complex, he said the pictures put up there could tell something which were very unique.
“Normally, you can’t find that sort of pictures we always take for granted. But they are something which are very valuable and perhaps we will try to go through geographic channel or whatever it is to promote them.”
Abang Johari’s wife Datin Amar Dato Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang, Abdul Karim’s wife Datin Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Snowdan Lawan, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and Kuching North City Commission Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai were among those present at the function.