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| Abdul Karim (seated left) fielding questions from reporters. Looking on are Dr Sim (second left) and Ling. |
KUCHING: St Joseph School did the state and country proud when its marching band took first place in the recent US Bands Yamaha Cup in New York.
Assistant Minister of Youth Development (Urban Areas) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah hopes that each and every member of the winning band will emulate this feat to achieve success in other fields and aspects of their lives.
He added that for the state with a population of only 2.4 million people to be able to achieve this kind of international success is no easy feat, especially considering that the competitors were of world standard.
He said what the school had achieved was not only their success but something that the whole nation could cherish, because it put Sarawak and Malaysia on the world map.
“The state government is proud of this success considering that schools in the United States are known to have the best marching bands in the world. This achievement is a proud moment for both state and country. Hopefully they can achieve success in other fields as well,” Karim told a press conference at Kuching International Airport (KIA) here on Thursday evening, during a welcoming ceremony for the band.
Also present were SJS Band advisor and Old Josephians Association chairman Senator Datuk Dr Sim Hui Kian and SJS Band director June Ling.
The band emerged champion in the Division III A category after scoring 90.1 following a stellar performance at MetLife Stadium at East Rutherford in New Jersey on Sept 26. They also swept all caption categories including the highest scores for visual, music, overall effect, percussion and colour guard to upstage 53 other top high school bands.
