A Sarawak tourism promotion at Port Moresby’s Vision City Megamall. – Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.
KUCHING (Sept 20): Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah hopes for more bilateral cooperation between Sarawak and Papua New Guinea.
He said this following a recent visit to Papua New Guinea to attend the Malaysia Day celebration hosted by the Malaysian High Commission there.
“With over 800 ethnic groups and many unspoiled natures in Papua New Guinea, I am confident there is a lot of potential for tourism to be developed and promoted here,” he said in a statement.
He added he was impressed with how open the Papua New Guinea government was in welcoming foreign investors as well.
Abdul Karim (seated, left) pays a courtesy call to James (seated, right). Also seen are Mohamad Nasri (right) and Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Ministry permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee (second left). – Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.
Abdul Karim, along with a delegation made up of officers from the ministry, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Sarawak Arts Council (SAC), were there from Sept 7-9.
The Malaysia Day reception was hosted by High Commissioner of Malaysia in Papua New Guinea Mohamad Nasri Abdul Rahman at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
According to the statement, the reception was attended by ministers, ambassadors, consulates and governors from Papua New Guinea’s various provinces, including its Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko.
“Many Malaysians, including Sarawakians, also turned up for the event,” it said, adding some 8,000 Malaysians are currently living in Papua New Guinea.
During the visit, courtesy calls were made by the Malaysian delegation to Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape, other ministers and top officials.
STB and SAC also took the opportunity to organise promotional activities showcasing Sarawak’s unique food and culture to the Papua New Guinea committee.
Abdul Karim and the delegation also visited several Sarawakian entrepreneurs living in Papua New Guinea, ranging from property development, hotels, shopping malls, news services and pharmaceutical supplies among other manufacturing and retail businesses.
James (third left) officiates the earth breaking ceremony of the Paga Hill Paradise development. Also seen are Abdul Karim (third right) and the project’s developer Jimmy Poh (second right). – Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.
The delegation also attended an earth breaking ceremony of Paga Hill Paradise, which was officiated by James. The developer of Paga Hill Paradise is from Sarawak.
After the earth breaking ceremony, they attended a dinner hosted by the Malaysia Association of Papua New Guinea where most of the attendees were Sarawakians who invest or work there.