FRUITFUL: Wong (seated third right) flanked by Tiong Thai King (on his left) and Daniel Ngieng with the others after the BCF discussion.
SIBU: The Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF) will be held every two years from now on, announced Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday.
He said SMC would not hold BCF this year as time was taken up by the recent state election.
“It is difficult for SMC to organise BCF in time. Organising it next year will give us ample time between now and July 2012.
“Actually, we want to do better and upgrade BCF by having more attractive cultural events for the people of Sibu as well as domestic and foreign tourists to enjoy,” he said during a press conference in the SMC conference room at Level 24 of Wisma Sanyan.
On April 28, SMC chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King announced scrapping the festival in an apparent fallout following the defeat of members of the Sibu BN Visionary Team in the recent state polls.
Tiong was reported to say that since the majority of the people in Sibu did not appreciate the work of the team, SMC was forced to cancel the BCF. Following that, many quarters requested SMC to reconsider the decision.
The annual festival, showcasing varied and colourful local culture and traditions of the Chinese, Ibans, Orang Ulu, Malay and Melanau, had attracted thousands of visitors from Sarawak and abroad.
Yesterday’s press conference was attended by the United Chinese Association, Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representatives from Malay, Melanau and Dayak associations as well as various Chinese clan associations. Tiong and his deputy Daniel Ngieng were among those present.
Wong apologised to the people of Sibu and all parties involved for cancelling it this year.
“If the situation permits, we will organise the BCF every year. However, from next year onwards, we will organise it once in two years,” he said.
Wong said they spent about RM1 million on the BCF.
“BCF was initiated by the Sibu BN Visionary Team some nine years ago when we had a full team of five ADUNS (members of the Dewan Undangan Negeri) and two MPs.
“BCF is privately funded by SMC. We do get grants from the Sarawak Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and Ministry of Cultural, Information and Communication, but we need to source for more funds,” he said.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said BCF was organised on a community basis, and is free of charge unlike the World Rainforest Festival in Kuching and Jazz Festival in Miri that are based on the sales of tickets.