Abdul Karim (third right), Snowdan (second right), Ting (right), Hii (left), Tiara (fifth left), Tiara’s husband Tan Sri Effendi Norwawi (third left) and casts of Ola Bola Merdeka Tour pose for the camera after the press conference.
KUCHING: Enfiniti (M) Sdn Bhd yesterday announced the three-day performance by multiple-award winning production, Olabola the Musical, here.
The show, directed and produced by performing arts icon Tiara Jacquelina, will be performed free of charge for the people of Sarawak from September 6-8.
Produced by enfiniti, based on the film from Astro Shaw, GSC Multimedia and directed by Puan Seri Tiara Jacquelina, the full show of 2 1/2 hours each day is expecting 1,800 people daily to come to the musical theatre. Tiara said this biggest musical show in South East Asia is brought live to the people of Sarawak in the spirit of Hari Merdeka.
“Sarawak has a special place in our hearts, so especially for the people of Sarawak, we are bringing in the entire original show that you see in KL, with 170 of the casts, including technical crew, the lights, the sounds, the set, makeup wardrobe, the props people, projection mapping people, visual effects, crew management and six containers of the props,” said Tiara at a press conference at one of the international hotels here yesterday.
Prior to Kuching, Ola Bola Merdeka Tour was in Penang (August 31) and after Sarawak (September 6-8), they will be in Sabah (September 11) and Pahang (September 21).
Tiara Jacquelina is a Malaysian award-winning actress, film producer, musical theatre producer, and the proud founder of The Enfiniti Academy of Musical Theatre and Performing Arts. She is well-acclaimed for her role in Puteri Gunung Ledang, in which she played the lead character and sang the theme song ‘Asmaradana’.
Free passes can be obtained from September 3-5 from 1pm until 7pm at Ola Bola Merdeka Tour counter, at the Indoor Stadium or at the Visitors Information Centre at the Old Court House (September 3-5 from 10am to 6pm).
The Ola Bola Merdeka Tour in Kuching is supported by the Sarawak government through Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), AirAsia, Bintulu Port, Sarawak Energy, Petronas, Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, Cahya Mata Sarawak, Pos Malaysia, Maybank, digi, Celcom and RHB among others.
Entrance to Ola Bola Merdeka Tour is free, based on first-come first-served basis.
One person is allowed to redeem four tickets only and only those with valid tickets are allowed entry.
Also at the press conference were Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Motac permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee, Sarawak Arts Council CEO Sharkawi Amit, sponsors and casts of Ola Bola Merdeka Tour.
Meanwhile, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Kuching is so blessed to be given this opportunity to watch Ola Bola Musical.
“I think it is going to be a good musical theatre in our efforts to unite people and lighten up the patriotic spirit especially in celebrating Merdeka Day.
“It has a deep message to build unity and football is always our number one sport, it has always been with us for a long time.
“In the earlier days when our football was very strong, on par with South Korea, in the 1980s, we got James Wong from Sabah, Hassan Sani, Soh Chin Ann, Santokh Singh, they were multiracial, and that was the peak, the best time of Malaysian football,” he said.