Getting ready and excited with forthcoming matches at State Stadium in Petra Jaya now renamed as "Stadium Taha Ariffin"

Our State Stadium in Petra Jaya, Kuching has recently undergone substantial upgrading works to ensure the facilities there complies with prerequisite requirements for hosting regional and international sporting events especially for football in which it will be the home ground for Kuching City Football Club. I have disclosed to our media friends that the stadium has been officially renamed "Stadium Taha Ariffin" in honour of the late former Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) president and the has seen several improvement works aimed at modern comforts to spectators experience and general site amenities.

For high-level competitions at regional or international level, our stadiums must undergo standard upgrading processes. While village or division-level events may have modest requirements, higher-tier matches demand strict adherence to facility standards. I have also revealed that I had personally caught a bird’s-eye view of the venue’s physical transformation recently while flying over the venue by helicopter. I have noticed and was impressed with the newly installed individual seating. Where there used to be plain concrete steps, there are now proper individual seats throughout.

Beyond spectator seating arrangements, the ongoing refurbishments will cover crucial spectator facilities, including public toilets and improved concourse areas to accommodate larger match-day turnouts. I have also urged our home fans to turn up for the upcoming matches between Kuching City FC and other visiting teams including Sabah FC scheduled for a friendly match on October 1; the return quarterfinal FA Cup 2026 match with Kelantan FC; the Shopee Cup 2026 match on October 10. 

Our deepest condolences to our former Prime Minister, the right honourable Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his family

Our deepest condolences to our former Prime Minister, the right honourable Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his family on the demise of Allahyarhamah Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali. 

I had described her passing as a monumental loss for the entire country, acknowledging her quiet yet pivotal role during Malaysia’s transformative years. I have just received this sad news upon arriving from Miri this morning. On behalf of our ministry and the state, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Tun Dr Mahathir and his family. 

I have also reflected on her legacy and had highlighted Dr Siti Hasmah’s steadfast support for Dr Mahathir during his 22-year first tenure as the nation's former prime minister. It is a immense loss, not only for Tun Mahathir, his children, and his family, but for all Malaysians. 

We know Tun Mahathir had led the nation for over two decades, and behind every great leader, the support structure is vital. Allahyarmah Tun Dr Siti Hasmah was truly the backbone of Tun Mahathir throughout his leadership. We noted that the era under Dr Mahathir’s leadership marked a golden age of development for Malaysia, made possible through the unwavering contributions of his late wife. 

It was a glorious era for Malaysia where we experienced tremendous progress and structural changes. Allahyarhamah Tun Dr Siti Hasmah had made immense contributions behind the scenes allowed Tun Mahathir to serve the nation effectively. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Tun Mahathir and his family during this difficult time.

Celebrating 20th anniversary of BE Sarawak and its contribution to development of business events in Sarawak

It was a great pleasure for us to join last night’s gala dinner celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) at Voco hotel Kuching. The event had marked two decades of dedication, collaboration and our joint achievements in positioning Sarawak as a preferred destination for business events. Initially, Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) was established by the Sarawak Government and it was rebranded to “BESarawak” in 2019. The agency under Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) had played a pivotal role in strengthening our state’s presence in the business events industry, both in Malaysia and on the global stage.

The evening was made even more meaningful by the presence of the former Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of BESarawak, whose leadership, commitment and contributions have helped shape the organisation throughout its 20-year journey. Their collective efforts, together with those of our industry partners, event professionals, associations and stakeholders, have laid a strong foundation for Sarawak to host high-quality international conferences, exhibitions, incentive programmes and business events that bring knowledge, investment, networking opportunities and economic benefits to our state.

As we celebrate this important milestone, we also look ahead with confidence to the next chapter of Sarawak’s business events industry. With our unique destinations, strong infrastructure, diverse cultural heritage and growing international connectivity, Sarawak is well positioned to further strengthen its reputation as a world-class business events destination. Congratulations to BESarawak on 20 remarkable years, and my appreciation to everyone who has contributed to this inspiring journey. Together, let us continue to work together in elevating Sarawak onto the global business events stage.

Sarawak has recorded a total of 1,587 business events organized locally since 2006

To date, Sarawak has recorded a total of 1,587 business events organized locally since 2006 in which it had generated an estimated economic impact of RM4.95 billion and having attracted over 500,000 delegates from throughout Malaysia and worldwide.

Such achievements reflect the growth of our business events industry over the past two decades, as well as enhanced local capabilities and international confidence in Sarawak as a preferred business events destination. The establishment of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) 20 years ago had demonstrated our government's dedicated efforts to introduce Sarawak to the world as an exciting new destination for business events.

Formerly known as "Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB)," the organization was rebranded as "BESarawak" in 2019 to reflect broader aspirations regarding the role of business events in Sarawak's development. The COVID-19 pandemic also prompted Sarawak to develop a more resilient industry model by focusing on long-term impact—or legacy—in alignment with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

The Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak and the Sarawak Government had introduced PCDS 2030 to build a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Sarawak; legacy-driven business events align with this same direction. Last year, we had launched "AI.LEGACY"—a Smart Business Events Impact Management System designed to measure and understand the impact generated by events—as well as "LEGACY360," a platform to strengthen the ecosystem through education, leadership, recognition, and collaboration.

Our goal is no longer merely to track the number of events organized in Sarawak, but to focus on the changes resulting from those events, who benefits from them, and the legacy they leave behind. Among Sarawak's significant achievements was winning the "Best Marketing Award" from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in 2008, followed by securing the right to host the "55th ICCA Congress in 2016," which brought together over 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.

Future plans of having anti-doping laboratory in Sarawak

We have no plans for Sarawak to have its anti-doping laboratory that will be functioning to test athletes suspected of using banned performance enhancing drugs despite the State Government's plans to co-host a number of international sporting competitions in the years ahead.

Perhaps in future, we might need to establish one but for the time being, the doping controls provided by the Anti-Doping Agency Malaysia (Adamas) are sufficient to cater our needs.

The common practice is for ADAMAS to send their team to Kuching to collect samples for every international, regional or national competitions, with the testing processors to be done in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

One good example is the 18th edition of our Malaysia Games (SUKMA) which was hosted by Sarawak back in 2016 where the event was clean with “not even a single case” detected.

I have revealed to our media friends during the press conference on Sarawak National Sports Integrity Conference 2026 (SNISC2026) that is jointly organised by Sarawak Integrity and Ombudsman Unit, Sarawak Premier's Department (UNION), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, together with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (MYSED).

The one-day conference is on September 28 and is to be followed by two days of technical workshops specifically designed to bring together key stakeholders, particularly those from government procurement and administrative agencies, enforcement bodies, legal professionals, sports association administrators and international-level organisations.

Organising prestigious and large-scale sporting events often involves high-value procurement, substantial financial expenditure and coordinating multiple agencies. Without strong controls and integrity systems, the sports ecosystem faces various serious threats, including corruption, match-fixing, illegal betting, drug abuse and governance non-compliance.

The organising of conference is particularly timely, given that Sarawak will co-host the 2027 SEA Games and our intention for wanting to be an excellent host in terms of event management and facilities, but also aim to set a new benchmark in sports governance based on integrity and transparency.