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KUCHING: Festival Gendang Sarawak will welcome a delegation from Kalimantan for the first time this year, alongside participation from Brunei Darussalam.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the participation showed the festival was expanding beyond Sarawak.
“This will be the first time a delegation from Kalimantan is involved in the programme.
“We can see that programmes like this are continuing to grow. They are no longer only for the people of Sarawak, but are also involving our neighbours,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after the handover of a mobile stage lorry by the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN), Sarawak to the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) at Baitulmakmur II here yesterday (Sept 15).
He said the expanding participation demonstrated how programmes of this nature could develop a broader regional reach.
“We can see that programmes like this are continuing to grow. They are no longer only for the people of Sarawak, but are also involving our neighbours,” he said.
Festival Gendang Sarawak is held annually in conjunction with the Sarawak Regatta and is among the programmes jointly undertaken by the ministry, Sarawak JKKN and MSS.
Abdul Karim said the longstanding collaboration covered various arts and cultural programmes each year.
“Our ministry collaborates extensively with JKKN Sarawak and the Sarawak Arts Council on various programmes every year.
“One of them is Festival Gendang Sarawak, which is held annually during the Sarawak Regatta,” he said.
The courtesy call was led by JKKN director-general Mohd Amran Mohd Haris.
Abdul Karim welcomed the delegation, saying such engagements were important in maintaining the close relationship between the ministry and JKKN.
“We are pleased to receive the delegation from Kuala Lumpur in Sarawak and will continue working to strengthen this close cooperation in the future,” he said.
During the same programme, Sarawak JKKN director Noor Seela Noor Sulaiman handed over a symbolic replica key for a mobile stage lorry to MSS chief executive officer Dr Suffian Jalet, witnessed by Abdul Karim.
The Hino FG1JPPB trailer lorry had been used by JKKN for grassroots arts and cultural programmes.
It was purchased on Oct 7, 2010, at an original acquisition cost of RM186,000.
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