355 events supported by the ministry over the past year - Abdul Karim

SIBU, 20 September: A total of 355 events across Sarawak were supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts of Sarawak as well as the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development of Sarawak during the past year.

His Excellency, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that the figure shows the scale of the ministry's support for various events in the state which include sports, culture and music, with almost every day there are programs taking place at different locations.

"We have 365 days a year. Last year, we supported 355 events across Sarawak. Practically, almost every day there is an event somewhere in Sarawak that receives the support of the ministry", he said.

He said this while addressing the 23rd Sibu Amateur Open Golf Championship 2026 Awards Ceremony at Sibu Golf Club, today.

According to Abdul Karim, support for various events is not only focused on sporting activities but also covers the fields of culture and music.

He said the event's hosting also impacts other sectors as attendance of participants and visitors from outside the area increases demand for hotels, food and transportation services.

"When golfers come for this event and they're from outside Sibu, they have to stay in hotels, eat somewhere and use transportation.

"The same goes for other events organized in other parts of Sarawak. Many industries benefit from the abundance of events whether cultural, musical or sporting", he added.

Obviously, this approach is one of the reasons why the ministry dares to support large-scale events in Sarawak as the benefits are also felt by various sectors.

He said the state government also continued to support the organisation of major events including SEA Games 2027 and Islamic Solidarity Games 2029 which will be held in Sarawak.

He said that hosting large-scale events gives Sarawak an opportunity to attract more visitors as well as boost local economic activity.

Thus, the same concept is also applied to golf tournaments held in Sibu as the presence of participants from outside the area gives plenty to the hospitality, food and transport sector.