All round applause to organisers of "Rentap Fighting Championship 7.0"

I have congratulated organisers of this year’s “Rentap Fighting Championship 7.0” which had been successful in attracting thousands of spectators and supporters at the Summer Mall shopping complex. The majority of the Muay Thai fans consists of our young folks and among the participants in this exciting championship had come from throughout Sarawak, West Malaysia and Thailand. The crowd went ecstatic when some of the bouts had featured popular young exponents who had represented Sarawak in previous Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and Malaysia in last year’s SEA Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. 

In recent years, our State Government through Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) as well as Ministry of Youth, Sports & Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (MYSED) had lend support to the organisers. 

A pat on the back to the organisers which had added a meaningful program that is an anti-bullying awareness campaign. It is an interesting initiative that took off at the Summer Shopping Mall with the objective of promoting child safety. The laudable campaign had also reinforced the message of martial arts not meant to encourage bullying, but to nurture discipline, respect and contribute positive character development. 

Thumbs up to the program which was also expanded into educational sessions for parents, particularly on issues related to child abuse and mitigating efforts to address the issue.

 

Proud moments for local folks with ground breaking ceremony of iconic Samarahan Boulevard

The ground breaking ceremony of the iconic Samarahan Boulevard was performed by the right honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg and it was indeed a proud moment for our local folks in Kota Samarahan because it is set to be the longest and largest boulevard. The boulevard is ted on an area of covering 23.3 hectares (57.28 acres) and a 1.4-kilometre stretch with the design aimed at making it our state’s new signature social and recreational hub. 

In his speech, our esteemed Premier had mentioned that the Samarahan Boulevard will offer a mix of family-friendly leisure spots, active zones for health and wellness and nature-focused areas with jogging including cycling trails. According to our Premier, the boulevard will become part of the green space for locals and it is important  because people cannot live solely on commercial activities and they need fresh oxygen. Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari had also revealed 1,000 acres of land near the boulevard will be declared as a green area. Once declared, the land cannot be used for commercial or housing development unless approval is obtained from the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, thus providing legal protection against future land use changes. 

The project is divided into two main phases and includes a mixed zone for casual family activities while an active zone will focus on health and sports. A passive zone will be included to highlight environmental appreciation, sensory parks and slow-paced recreation for people of all ages. 

Major state events such as celebrations for the Sarawak Governor’s Birthday and large parades have always been held at Padang Merdeka in Kuching City often causing severe traffic disruptions due to growing participation. Thus the development of the large boulevard in Kota Samarahan will serve as a new iconic landmark and meeting point for large-scale events. 

Ushering the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) campaign with enthusiasm and excitement

My thanks to all our media friends who provided wide news coverage on the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) campaign which started on New Year’s Day. This morning I was also invited by Sarawak’s branch of Tourism Malaysia and the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) to welcome the arrival of passengers and visitors at the Kuching International Airport.

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During the media interview, I had expressed my excitement and enthusiasm with the organising the VMY2026 that is expected to attract 43 million visitors to our country this year. The Sarawak Government through our Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) is also ready and committed to supporting Malaysia's target of attracting 43 million visitors this year. 

As of November last year, our country had recorded 38.3 million visitor arrivals while Sarawak itself had almost achieved its 5 million target but arrivals as of November 2025 was 4.42 million. If the full data is received, I believe we may be able to achieve the target of 40 million visitors for the year 2025. Whether the target is achieved or not, it is not a big deal because we have shown good performance based on the joint efforts given by all stakeholders in the tourism industry.

A wonderful interview with our media friends from TVS on Sarawak's tourism industry

Recently I had a wonderful interview session with our media friends from TVS and had shared with them on Sarawak’s tourism industry which is booming with tourism receipts had reached over RM1 billion monthly in 2025, even as it closes in on its ambitious target of 5 million visitors.

I had also announced that as of November 2025, Sarawak had recorded 4.42 million tourist arrivals, nearing the annual target of 5 million. Although we may not achieve that numerical target, the consistent performance in tourism receipts indicates that tourist spending quality is at a good level.

Sarawak has so far never recorded 5 million tourist arrivals before, therefore, the target is seen as challenging but reasonable, in line with the state government’s approach of evaluating performance based on actual data and impact.

When asked about the target for 2026.

The new target would only be finalized once the tourist arrival data for last year is obtained from the Malaysian Immigration Department. We do not want to set a target hastily. If we are close to or reach 5 million, then we will consider a new target. If not, we will maintain the existing target.

As for the visitors arrival for the year end 2025, Sarawak had recorded a surge in tourist arrivals from Indonesia and Brunei leading up to the 2026 New Year celebrations, particularly at border entry points such as the Tebedu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex.

The organizing of concerts featuring famous Indonesian artists proved to be a major attraction, considering that opportunities to watch these artists perform in West Kalimantan are limited. For the three days before December 31, I was informed that there was a significant increase in tourist arrivals from Indonesia at the Tebedu ICQS. Apart from traveling, they also came to watch concerts and join in the 2026 New Year celebrations at the Kuching Waterfront.

A similar situation was also seen involving tourists from Brunei, especially when similar celebrations were also held in Miri, thus creating an additional attraction for regional tourists. I have also revealed that event-based and regional market tourism strategies will continue to be important drivers for increasing Sarawak’s tourism receipts, besides providing economic spillover to the local hotel industry, food and beverage, and other supporting service sectors throughout the year 2026.

Wishing everyone Happy New Year 2026

I take this opportunity to wish everyone Happy New Year 2026. As we usher the new year, it is also a good time for all of us to reflect the Year 2025 which had brought fond memories and great life experiences. 

Whether we are celebrating with our loved ones or reaching out from afar, the coming New Year is all about sharing the joy, enthusiasm and setting the positive spirits for the months ahead. 

My warm wishes for good health and happiness to all of you. Let us share our hopes for the best to come in 2026 together with our love ones, family members, friends, and neighbours too. Let our joyful spirits ring in the new year with positivity and love for everyone. Happy New Year!