Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
KUCHING: International and local events in Sarawak will still be held though some may be postponed, with precautionary measures in place due to the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) says Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Abdul Karim said if there was a cancellation or postponement of an event, it will also be made known through the media.
He noted that this matter had been conveyed to the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee during a meeting here today.
“There will be some events that have to be differed, I was made to understand, those that involved many foreigners from countries that are restricted from entering Sarawak due to the disease.
“Because of the restrictions, some of the events may have to be postponed,” he told a press conference after the chairing the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee.
Abdul Karim said one the events that would be postponed was the International Tennis Junior championship.
He said currently, the Sarawak Chief Minister Cup ITF World Tennis Tour J1 was ongoing, with the Asia/Aceania Final Qualifying of the Junior Davies Cup scheduled to be held here a week later.
“The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) president Dato Patick Liew has said that they have differed the tournament to July partly because of Covid-19.
“Most of the players for this tournament are from Europe and due to the restrictions placed on some of the countries there due to Covid-19, a lot of them will not be able to make it,” he said.
Abdul Karim hoped that others events such as the Rainforest World Music Festival and the Spartan Race, both in Kuching, would continue to be held as scheduled.
He was optimistic the Spartan Race will be held as scheduled given that most of the foreign participants were from Singapore, Indonesia and America and not Europe.