‘Policies up for review to make S’wak tourism more vibrant’

February 28, 2018

Abdul Karim stresses a point in his presentation on ‘Sarawak Tourism Blueprint’ at Sarawak Dialogue.

KUCHING: Sarawak is relooking at its strategies and policies to address several issues in the tourism sector and to improve what the state has to offer to visitors.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pointed out the need to improve the overall standard and quality of products and services within the tourism industry – from accommodation, restaurants, tour guides to packages – so as to grow the sector and make Sarawak a preferred tourism destination.

“Our national parks are very popular with both local and foreign visitors but there is still room for improvement as I notice that the facilities are not up to expectations.

State in talks with Motac to allow guide licences to be issued by state ministry

February 27, 2018

Abdul Karim delivering his presentation on ‘Sarawak Tourism Blueprint’ at the Sarawak Dialogue event today.

KUCHING: State Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today revealed that there are talks with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (Motac) on allowing the issuance of tourist guide licenses by the state ministry.

He said there is need for the the state to issue its own licenses to counter the problem of insufficient tourist guides.

“Miri has only one or two registered tourist guide(s), ‘mana cukup’ (certainly not sufficient) and the unregistered guides come into play because there are not enough registered guides due to the expensive fees and difficulty of getting the license,” he said at a press conference after presenting his talk “Sarawak Tourism Blueprint” on the second day of the Sarawak Dialogue here.

Match fixing: Ministry to probe deeper after players released without charge

February 22, 2018

KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports is looking to unearth proof over the alleged match-fixing of the Sarawak-Felcra United FC match.

Its minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said solid evidence is needed to establish if there was a connection between the two state football players and a man alleged to be a bookie.

“We must get solid evidence to show a connection between both parties. If there is evidence to be found, I feel it is better that we part ways (with the two players),” he told reporters after attending the Sarawak Arts Congress 2018 here yesterday.

FAS jangan berkompromi: Abdul Karim

February 22, 2018 

Pengurusan bola sepak negeri diminta selidik jika ada pemain berurusan, mempunyai unsur ‘hubungan’ dengan ‘bookie’TEGAS: 

Abdul Karim (dua kanan) semasa mengiringi Abang Johari melawat pameran di Kongres Seni Sarawak 2018 di sebuah hotel terkemuka di Kuching, semalam.

KUCHING: Persatuan Bola Sepak Sarawak (FAS) diingat tidak berkompromi dengan mana-mana pemain yang didapati berurusan atau mempunyai unsur ‘hubungan’ dengan ‘bookie’, dengan menyingkirkan mereka daripada pasukan negeri.

Menteri Pelancongan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian, Belia dan Sukan Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, memang asas keadilan ialah seseorang itu tidak bersalah sehingga dibuktikan bersalah oleh mahkamah dan mana-mana pendakwaan memerlukan bukti yang benar- benar kukuh.

Bagaimanapun, Abdul Karim berkata: “Kita akan menyelidik kes pendakwaan serta kertas siasatan untuk melihat sekiranya terdapat unsur hubungan antara pemain dan ‘bookie’ yang dikesan tetapi tidak dapat dibuktikan dengan jelas, yang tidak dapat dibawa ke mahkamah.

Minister lauds decision to reinstate three Sukma sports

February 21, 2018

SIBU: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has again expressed satisfaction with the decision to reinstate Taekwondo, Sepak Takraw and Weightlifting in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perak this year.

He was commenting on National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail’s recent statement that the Sukma Supreme Committee had decided to reinstate sepak takraw, taekwondo and weightlifting in the 2018 Sukma.

It was not fair to the three sports to be dropped abruptly, Karim said.