Abdul Karim: Private sector must lead hotel development amid rising tourist arrivals

KUCHING (Feb 12): The Sarawak government is ready to facilitate the construction of more hotels in Kuching to cater to rising tourist arrivals, but the private sector must take the lead in driving new developments, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said hotel development requires commitment from both the government and industry players.

“There are two parties that must carry out their responsibilities. On the government’s part, we are always ready to approve the construction of five-star, four-star, three-star hotels or even lodging houses. All these will help,” he told a press conference after launching seven murals in conjunction with Padungan’s 100th anniversary here today.

He was asked to comment on whether there are plans to see more hotels in the city amid increasing visitor numbers.

Abdul Karim explained that different categories of visitors require different types of accommodation.

“For instance, those who come to Kuching for business events usually stay in five-star hotels, whereas those who come for events like marathons or for leisure will normally stay in three or four-star hotels,” he said.

With Sarawak hosting more events, the minister noted that visitor arrivals are increasing not only from within the state but also from Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and other countries.

“When we organise many events, more visitors will come. That is where hotels must be available,” he stressed.

However, he pointed out that the government itself cannot build and operate hotels through agencies such as the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

“This should be initiated by the private sector. We would like to see a more aggressive outlook from those involved in the hotel industry to develop more hotels in Kuching to cater to the kind of promotion we have been doing,” he said.

Abdul Karim added that tourism promotion is carried out with long-term projections of five to 10 years, not merely for a single year.

“With AirBorneo coming in and other developments, we expect to see a big jump in arrivals over the next few years.

“When events are held, we hope there will be sufficient rooms available, catered for by both the government and the private sector,” he said.

On heritage architecture, Abdul Karim described St Peter’s Church in Padungan as a valuable tourism asset for Kuching.

He said the church’s architectural design is distinctive and rich in character, reflecting a style that was once seen in older church buildings.

“If we look at the architecture used to construct St Peter’s Church, it is very rich.

“I believe St Thomas’ Cathedral and St Joseph’s Cathedral previously possessed similar architectural features before they were demolished and rebuilt into more modern structures,” he said.

He opined that in the past, such architectural value might not have been fully appreciated, resulting in the loss of older designs.

“Now, as the years go by, we can see that this kind of architecture is something we should preserve,” he said, adding that he was impressed after visiting St Peter’s Church and learning about its design from those involved in the project.

He expressed hope to see more buildings of similar character constructed in the city, whether reflecting classical designs or local architectural heritage.

“We should also incorporate local architecture such as how the natives built their longhouses or how Malays built their traditional houses, and bring such elements into the city, whether in Kuching or elsewhere in Sarawak,” he said.

On the possibility of introducing regular night markets in the city, Abdul Karim said the ministry’s agencies can only play a facilitating role, while the initiative must come from the ground, particularly the local councils.

“This is where the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) must identify a suitable location that will not create traffic congestion,” he said.

He suggested that Jalan Padungan could potentially be turned into a walking street on selected days, such as Fridays and Saturdays or weekends, to host a night market.

“If certain roads are closed, the public will adjust and the police will know how to divert traffic,” he said.

He believes night markets could become a strong attraction for Kuching, providing a platform to showcase local food, crafts and other products.

“That is why I love night markets. You can see during the Mooncake Festival or the Kuching Festival, the place is always full of people,” he added.