Christina (centre) receiving a promotional poster from Ong. Among those seen with them are Dr Kamaruzaman (fourth from right), William (fourth left), Leong (third left), Fu (second left), Koh (second right) and Wang (third right).
KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment has approved an allocation of RM60,000 in support of the 13th Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF) to be held on August 2 and 3 at the Covered Tennis Court, Sutera Harbour Resort.
Its minister, Datuk Christina Liew, said the KKJF is a non-profit festival and part of its proceeds will go towards funding the various laudable community service projects of the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu (RCKK), reportedly the oldest Rotary Club in Sabah.
These include medical outreach camps for health screening of rural folks, building toilets for rural communities, water gravity feed projects to provide clean water supply and helping out poor children in remote villages.
“The Rotary movement is a household name in Sabah. Inclusion of the festival as a premier event in the Sabah Tourism Board’s annual calendar of events reflects the government’s support for the Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival,” she said during a courtesy call by the KKJF 2019 organising committee led by organising chairman Jack Ong.
This 13th edition is jointly organised by RCKK currently headed by Datuk Seri Dr Kamaruzaman Hj Ampon as president and Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (SPArKS) under the leadership of Sabah’s very own veteran musician Roger Wang who is also the event co-organising chairman.
Liew, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, rated the KKJF as a tourism event for both domestic and international tourists as well as local music enthusiasts to enjoy.
“I call on the local community to support the festival. Come and spend your evening with some great performers and entertainers. Support our Malaysian musicians. I understand that KKJF (founded in 2007) is the only jazz festival in the region that was set up to raise funds for charity and develop the performing arts,” she said.
The delegation from the organising committee included Kamaruzaman, RCKK Immediate Past President, Philip Koh, event advisers cum founders of KKJF, Frankie Fu (then lresident of RCKK) and Datuk Adeline Leong (then founder president of SPArKS which was formed to promote advancement of the Performing Arts in Kota Kinabalu); Benjamin Lo (event manager) and publicity officers Lenore Lee and Louise Maluda. Also present was the ministry’s permanent secretary, William Baya.
Briefing the minister on the two-night programme, Ong said KKJF is one of the longest continuously running jazz festivals in Malaysia.
“The Jazz Festival opens its doors at 6pm and the evening begins with the first act at 7pm and ends at about 11pm each night,” he said.
The two-day event will feature talented jazz bands from the Sabah music community and Kuala Lumpur’s Rainbow Children and Xianghai Divas.
Among Sabah’s performing groups will be Jamstation, Tawau’s finest, most active and long-time musicians, SWAG (comprising professional musicians from RTM Sabah, lecturers from UMS Music Faculty, tutors and students of Sabah Institute of Arts as well as musicians from the Royal Malaysian Police Band), Blues Summit, AC Duo, Take 2 (vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Tse with Peter Lau on percussion and handsonic), Rikki and Friends who are established musicians, Sunrise Jazz Ensemble (who proved their worth at the recent KK Jazz Talent Search), Project Trio (comprising three gifted individuals, namely Prof Hanafie Mohd Imam, Alton Wong and Onell Luke), Lawalah from the Sabah Institute of Arts’ Music Department, and Calypsoul consisting of six music students.
Tickets can be purchased online via www.airasiaredtix.com or drop by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Outlets (Damai & Wisma Merdeka), Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club or get them directly at the venue (Covered Tennis Court, Sutera Harbour Resort).).
Regular seats for RM50 per person per night include RM20 worth of F&B coupons, while the Premier Table Section offers reserved seating, priced at RM1,000 per table per night for a group of six people.
For inquiries, call Lenore at 012-8013939 or Jack at 016-8106505.