New ordinance to give Museum Dept more ‘bite’ — Abdul Karim

November 27, 2018

Abdul Karim (second right) views the Zul Faqar Sword replica on display at the exhibition accompanied by Ipoi (right) and Misnu (left).

KUCHING: A new ordinance to empower the Sarawak Museum Department (JMS) will be introduced next year.

This was revealed by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who said the ordinance to improve activities of JMS will be tabled at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting next year.

He explained that the proposed ordinance will enable JMS to collaborate with private sectors including relevant field experts to increase the attraction and number of visitors to museums in the state.

Sarawak Museum Complex set to be icon for Kuching City – Abdul Karim

November 16, 2018

Ipoi (seated fifth left) dinning with the state guests at the prestigious Asemus dinner event on Wednesday.

KUCHING: The new Sarawak Museum Complex will be an icon for Kuching City, which will attract domestic and international tourists.

In stating this, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the complex which is expected to be completed by middle of next year will be open to the public by the end of 2020.

“The state government has allocated about RM308 million to construct the new Sarawak Museum Complex, which will become a new icon for Kuching City,” he said in his text of speech which was read by Sarawak Museum director Ipoi Datan at the 8th Asia-Europe Museum Network (Asemus) dinner here on Wednesday.

Abd Karim: Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993 to be amended next year

October 26, 2018

Abdul Karim speaking to reporters during a site visit to the Sarawak Museum Campus in Kuching this morning. With him are (from left) Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Hii Chang Kee, Ipoi and Van de Bunte.

KUCHING, Oct 26: With the completion of the new state-of-the-art Sarawak Museum Campus nearing, it is high time for the state government to amend the Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he would announce the amendment to the ordinance during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in May 2019 to ensure that the ordinance would be able to cope with the needs of the Sarawak Museum Department.

“With this new structure, we are moving forward, so the Sarawak Museum Department management needs restructuring also. That is why it will be more progressive in outlook, I would say,” he told reporters during a site visit to the Sarawak Museum Campus here today.

World Press Photo show kicks off WAK festival

September 30, 2018

(From right) Korteweg, Karim, Mössenlechner, and van de Bunte marvel over a series of photographs at the exhibition. 

KUCHING: Photographs could leave an impact on the people with their presentations of today's world that will invoke a range of emotions, says Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

In his speech during the launch of World Press Photo Exhibition 2018 at Padang Merdeka yesterday, Abdul Karim said all the exhibited 66 photographs will "offers us in Kuching a view of the world of today, and seen with an open mind, it will allow these ‘Stories that Matter’ to reach out to us and make us think about today’s world.”

Karim also added that the photojournalism workshops organised this weekend in conjunction with the exhibition received overwhelming response.

State to receive 412 historic Bornean artefacts from Dutch city

November 27, 2017

Forster (fifth left) presents a historic artefact to Abdul Karim (fourth right) witnessed by Janelle (third right), Ipoi (fourth left) and other officials.

KUCHING: Sarawak will receive 412 historic artefacts which have been donated by the City of Delft in the Netherlands to the Sarawak Museum Department to be displayed in the exhibition galleries of the new Sarawak Museum Campus.

Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah recently received one of the 412 historic artefacts, when he led a delegation from Sarawak to pay an appreciation visit to the city of Delft to convey the gratitude of the Sarawak State Government.

According to an article published by Asia-Europe Museum Network (Asemus) dated yesterday (Nov 27), the Deputy Mayor of Delft Ferrie Forster and the Director of Heritage Delft Janelle Moerman ceremonially handed over the collection to Abdul Karim and Sarawak Museum Department director Ipoi Datan at Museum Prinsenhof in Delft, the Netherlands.

What About Kuching poised to become iconic city festival

July 26, 2017

Abdul Karim (centre) together with WAK 2017 festival directors and representatives from various participating groups after launching the festival yesterday.

Abdul Karim launching
What About Kuching 2017 yesterday.

KUCHING: The state government and the Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry will provide all the necessary support to ensure that What About Kuching (WAK) 2017 finds success and will become an iconic festival for the city in years to come.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah lauded the effort behind the community-initiated festival that celebrates the arts, culture and lifestyles of the people of Kuching.

“This is not something by the government. They (Kuchingites) came up with the proposal themselves,” he said during the official launch at the Old Courthouse compound yesterday.