Kudos to Sarawak Security & Enforcement Unit for their staff development initiatives

Recently I have was invited to attend a one-day workshop for staff members of Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) which was held at Dewan Sri Mahligai of Jalan Crookshank, Kuching. I have commended the organising of the workshop which was attended by staff members and officials from UKPS led by their director, Datu Chai Khin Chung.

During the closing ceremony, I have called on the participants to put into practice the knowledge and information gathered from the workshop which is aimed to provide latest updates in the subject matters related to the agency.

Welcoming the development of 3 new international hotels in Sarawak to cater demand by tourists

We are expecting the development of another three international hotels that has been approved for construction in Kuching to cater to the thriving tourism industry. We were informed of the matter during a meeting with His Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and one of the expected hotels is the Ascott Hotel. 

Even though the present number of rooms in Sarawak is enough to cater for the increasing number of tourists, but there is a need to look into the matter in order to prepare ahead for the next 10 to 20 years. This is because by looking at the rate of promotion and rate of global travelers, we will need to have more rooms and this is where the preparation has got to be done—we cannot wait right til the last minute to prepare. 

I have mentioned to our media friends recently that preparation is not only for Kuching, but also throughout Sarawak such as in Miri, Bintulu including Sibu, where Scoot Air will have direct flights from Singapore to Sibu starting June 5 this year.

On the direct international flights to Sarawak, our government is currently working on it and we have taken an aggressive approach to have a Sarawak-owned airline that will fly not only in Sarawak, but in the region. Once we launch it, we believe it will move very fast to cater for travellers that we are having now. When you are doing promotions for Sarawak overseas, they will be asking how to get here, and that is why we need all those direct flights as they would not like to transit here and there in order to get here.

Kudos to Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for jointly organised Sarawak Tourism Destination Resilience Workshop

We had congratulated both #Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for having jointly organised the "Sarawak Tourism Destination Resilience" workshop which was held at Imperial Hotel Kuching and it received encouraging response from local industry players.

The workshop is a good initiative which is aimed to equip stakeholders with the necessary tools and strategies to navigate crises effectively, ensuring sustainable tourism growth in Sarawak. 

Such efforts will also help to fortify our local tourism ecosystem against future shocks and uncertainties. Our appreciation to PATA for rendering their support in developing this programme which represents a crucial step forward in Sarawak's journey towards sustainable tourism development.

Saying no to the proposed "Orang Utan Diplomacy" initiatives

I have expressed my personal opinion on the proposed "Orang Utan Diplomacy" initiatives and disagreed with the idea of Malaysia giving these primates as "gifts" to palm oil trading countries. It is not right thing to do because these primates are better off in their natural habitat.

I have mentioned these to our media friends and if it is true that we want to have that kind of diplomacy by giving away our orang utan, which is a protected animal in Sarawak, it might not be a very good move.

We don't need to give the orang utan as gifts. We can always showcase how we look after our orang utan and how we make sure that their habitat is not destroyed by plantations and the right habitat for the orang utan is in Borneo Island.

If you give them away, it's not good. The best place for these animals is their natural habitat, not in zoos or cages...Sarawak is doing fine in orang utan conservation and the primates is a protected species under Sarawak's Wildlife Protection Ordinance. There are an estimated 2,000 orang utans in Sarawak’s wild and 11,000 in Sabah which had shown their well being is in good hands.

A wonderful record breaking feat for Sarawakians

Together we did it and set a new record in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) as having the "most participants in ethnic attire in a choreographed dance performance". The record breaking feat was achieved over the weekend at Kuching Waterfront and kudos to both Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) together with Rotary Club of Kuching for having organised the wonderful event. 

It was also attended by our Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg, Premier of Sarawak who joined the estimated crowd of 1,275 people in doing the "poco-poco" dance performance in an attempt to set a new record in the MBOR.

Those who attended the event was clad in beautiful and mesmerising traditional attire of various ethnic groups in Sarawak. They were simply impressive in the mass dance performance to the popular Iban song ‘Bekikis Bulu Betis’.

Our premier also commended the organisers for the momentous event which will also create mutual respect and understanding among Sarawakians. It is indeed an honour for Kuching, Sarawak to have organised this event particularly when the participants had wore the various ethnic dress reflecting various ethnic groups in Sarawak.

He added that although we were wearing different dresses, but we are still in one big family because that is Sarawak culture. Our esteemed premier also likened Sarawakians to our famous "Kek Lapis" (layered cake), a beloved delicacy in Sarawak. Though it (kek lapis) is layered but it is one cake. Though we have a lot of races, we are one. That is Sarawak. 

Ongoing negotiations between Sarawak and Federal government on asserting its rights as stipulated under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) which include tourism matters.

Our Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) will continue to actively pursue the proposal to amend Item 25A of the Federal Constitution and negotiations are ongoing between Sarawak and the federal government on asserting its rights as stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) which include tourism matters.

We will work together with the Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and Federal-State Relation) and the State Attorney-General’s Chambers to ensure that Sarawak gains special rights and position regarding tourism matters as agreed under MA63.

I have mentioned these in my ministerial winding-up speech and during the press conference, our media friends were informed that Sarawak will take its time on the negotiations as his ministry is already working closely with Federal's Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac).

We do not have any issues on this subject matter. Whether it is your rights or our rights, we will not make this to be a problem between us. At the end of the day, we want tourism to thrive whether it is Peninsular Malaysia or Sarawak.

Our ministry and its federal counterpart have a very close relationship to boost the tourism industry in Sarawak. As it is, Motac is also helping us, so it is a very close relationship down here. That is why we are not really making a very big issue out of it, and we will still work together.

It is just that we need to streamline the law to empower the state to have bigger rights. Once negotiation for tourism to be included in the Concurrent List of the Federal Constitution has been finalised, this would enable Sarawak to have more empowerment. There are a few things we could do such as introducing our own tourist guides, which are currently under Motac.

Promising growth in Sarawak's tourism industry which is expected to prosper throughout 2024

We are delighted with the promising growth of Sarawak's tourism industry that is expected to continue prosper throughout this year as both local and foreign visitors' arrival is on the upside. Our local touris industry is expected to reach around 90 per cent of its pre-pandemic levels, in line with United Nations Tourism Organisation (UNTO) World Tourism Barometer prediction of 85 per cent recovery rate in 2023.

Our Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts (MTCP) had projected for Sarawak to have 4 million visitor arrivals this year, bringing in an estimated RM10.19 billion in tourism revenue and contributing 7.25 per cent to our gross domestic product (GDP). 

I have mentioned these matters in my winding up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) and we have received a total of 3.92 million visitors last year, which was an increase of 93.82 per cent compared to the same period in 2022. This had also generated RM9.99 billion in tourism revenue, an increase of 101.41 per cent which contributed about 7.11 per cent to Sarawak’s GDP.

Sarawak's visitor arrivals accounted for about 20 per cent of Malaysia’s total in 2023. Our visitor arrivals from January to April this year had shown an increase of 25.46 per cent jumped from 1.3 million when compared to the same corresponding period in 2023 to 1.62 million. The visitors' arrivals for the January-April 2024 alone had generated an estimated RM4.17 billion, an increase of 27.43 per cent as compared to same period of 2023 with RM3.27 billion in tourism receipts.

Royal Albert Hall in London to be used as a point of reference in the creation of new Sarawak Performance Arts Centre (PAC)

Our Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg had announced that the Royal Albert Hall in London will be used as a point of reference in the creation of the Sarawak Performance Arts Centre (PAC).

He had mentioned this to our media friends after having graced the handing over ceremony of the project site of the PAC recently. According to him, the Old Sarawak Legislative Assembly building will be converted into the performing arts centre at a cost of RM240 million and is slated for completion in 2027.

He had also mentioned the most expensive part of the PAC is the equipment which is state-of-the-art, and the reference is Royal Albert Hall . When the conversion work is completed, we can bring in international artistes to perform here,. Thus, this will boost the state tourism and service industry.

Singapore had benefitted hugely from the concerts of international artistes, such as singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in March this year. The Singapore government gave incentives to Swift to perform there, but the spin-offs are not only in terms of culture, but also in monetary terms. He said we also want to attract singers like her, but if our concert hall is not good, who wants to come?.

He expressed optimism for the new centre will be of great help to local performers to showcase their talents or stage theatrical work which will elevate the standard of local performers.

The focus of the centre will be to strengthen the development programme and arts activities in the state.These would include music, dance, vocal and theatre performances; a venue to exhibit visual arts such as paintings, sculpture and murals; a place to recite poetry; and virtual arts display such as animation, videography and social media.

So far our Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) has attracted 1,261 participants to attend arts guidance classes for the 2024 sessions throughout the state. It had also complemented our ministry's efforts in actively organising town hall sessions in Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri Divisions that are aimed to share information and aspirations with the stakeholders on the direction of the creative industry in Sarawak.

Handing over ceremony of the Sarawak Performing Arts Centre project site

We thank our Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg, Premier of Sarawak for having graced the handing over ceremony of the Sarawak Performing Arts Centre project site to the contractor recently.

The upcoming centre will be equipped with world-class technology aimed at attracting international artistes and creative industry players to organise their events here and this would in turn put Sarawak onto the world stage. It is one of the high priority projects that have been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan under the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) and it will be implemented by the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak.

In my welcoming speech, I have mentioned the main goal of this project is to drive the growth and development of the performing arts industry in Sarawak by building an international-class arena for the organisation of performing arts activities in Sarawak. Therefore, the need to renovate and upgrade the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Building is important to fulfill the needs of theatre lovers in the state since currently there is no special place provided for this purpose.

The centre will also provide facilities for the use of artists and the younger generation to hone their interests and talents in the arts, especially the creative industry and performing arts. 

The project scope involved the renovation, upgrading and interior design works to transform the old DUN Building into a performing arts centre complete with facilities such as theatre hall, theatre studio, multi-purpose hall, black box room and other related facilities. This project will also employ expert services for components of audio, visualisation, acoustics, lighting and state-of-the-art staging systems.

In addition, the Lapau building next to the old DUN Building will also be renovated and upgraded as a suitable banquet venue for the public to visit before attending the performance. The centre will be handed over to the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) upon its completion, which is scheduled for the year 2027. The main role of MSS is to promote development programmes and arts activities in Sarawak with a focus on performing arts, visual arts, literature and virtual arts.”

Our ministry has been actively organising town hall sessions statewide in efforts to develop the creative industry. So far, we have organised town hall sessions in Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri divisions, with plans for such sessions in other divisions to be held in the near future. These sessions are aimed to share information and aspirations of stakeholders regarding the direction of the creative industry in Sarawak apart from announcing initiatives and programmes related to the creative industry carried out by the ministry.

Congratulations to Sarawak Tourist Guides Association (SKTGA) for organising inaugural ASEAN Tourist Guides Conference

We congratulated our Sarawak Tourist Guides Association (SKTGA) for organising the forthcoming inaugural ASEAN Tourist Guides Conference which will be held at Imperial Hotel in Kuching from October 24–26, 2024.

The theme for the conference is “Togetherness in Tour Guiding Excellence” and it also aims to foster collaboration to enhance travel experiences and strengthen the future of the tour guide community across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

I gave the thumbs up to the organisers who are targeting 400 delegates and had anticipated a total economic impact of RM3.3 million from the 3-day conference.  The conference is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MoTAC), Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), the Malaysian Tourist Guide Council, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), and the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF).

A primary focus of the conference will be exploring how tour guides can adapt and thrive in the digital era, positively impacting the regional tour guiding scene. The event also supports the Sarawak government’s tourism goals as outlined in the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy.

I was invited by the organisers to the press conference and had mentioned to our media friends on the importance of tourism which is part of the services industry and had accounted for 37% of Sarawak’s gross domestic product in 2023. 

We collected RM9.99 billion in tourism receipts in 2023, which was a growth of 101.41%. Despite excellent statistics, we must prioritise the protection and promotion of tour guides, and educate the invaluable contributions and unique experiences they offer.

I have also mentioned that the pressing challenge for the tour-guiding sector is the availability of online travel services, which allow travelers to organize trips independently, often bypassing traditional tour guides due to more cost-effective options available on the internet.

Hosting the 1st ASEAN Tourist Guides Conference will generate opportunities and making a positive impacts on our community that is trying to sustain the industry and promote its expertise for a transformation in Sarawak’s tourism landscape.