Malaysian legend Zainal Abidin, Sweden’s Platina Jazz to headline Borneo Jazz Festival 2026 in Miri Dec 4-5

Abdul Karim (fifth left) pose for a group photo with distinguished guests during the press conference on Borneo Jazz Festival 2026 at Baitul Makmur 2 building on Sept 17, 2026.

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Sept 17: Malaysian music legend Dato’ Zainal Abidin and Sweden’s Platina Jazz will headline the Borneo Jazz Festival 2026, which returns to Miri on Dec 4 and 5.

Zainal Abidin, who is celebrating his 50th year in music, will headline the first day alongside the 17-piece Julian Chan Jazz Orchestra, while Platina Jazz will headline the second day.

Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the 20th edition of the festival would be held at Pullman Miri Waterfront under the theme “Beyond Jazz”.

“Usually, when we organise a music festival, we focus solely on music. But this time around, it has spread its wings to many other areas.

“We even have a 5km run as part of Borneo Jazz. So, it’s a ‘rojak’ (mixture) of many different things,” he said during a press conference held at Baitul Makmur 2 building here today.

The opening night on Dec 4 will feature Elisha Tiga Eksperiment from Brunei, Marter from Japan, LaidThis Nite from Indonesia, Q Sound from the United States, and Dato’ Zainalabidin & Julian Chan Jazz Orchestra from Malaysia.

The second night on Dec 5 will feature Nathanie Ngu from Sarawak, Greg Tan & Ai Furusato under Berklee Asia Rising, Matthew Sayersz & Marclesia Karim from Indonesia, Brekky Boy from Australia, and Platina Jazz from Sweden.

For the first time, the festival will be staged in the heart of Miri City Centre, with Pullman Miri Waterfront serving as its official venue.

The Borneo Jazz Festival Village will be set up on the ground floor beside the hotel and will offer free entry, featuring food and beverages, retail, arts and crafts, family activities and live performances.

The main concerts will be held on the sixth floor of Pullman in an enclosed, air-conditioned setting.

The festival will also feature the Borneo Jazz Fun Run, a 5km event aimed at adding a family and community element to the festival.

Abdul Karim said the festival would bring together participants from Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia, while the Old Bornean Pavilion would showcase the region’s culture, creativity and tourism offerings.

He said the festival would also include a talent-development component through a collaboration with Berklee Asia Rising under Berklee College of Music.

Through the programme, Greg Tan will perform alongside Japanese pianist and composer Ai Furusato, while emerging musicians will have opportunities for learning, knowledge exchange and artist development.

Abdul Karim said this was part of Sarawak’s wider effort to develop its pool of creative talent ahead of the completion of its Performing Arts Centre.

“We do not want it to be a white elephant. That’s the reason why we want to build up whether there are jazz, jazzy, whether they are singers, whether they are dancers, and all that,” he said.

Organisers are targeting 1,000 to 1,200 attendees at the main concert venue over the two days, while the festival village is expected to draw 2,000 to 3,000 visitors.

The fun run is targeting about 1,000 participants.

Abdul Karim said Borneo Jazz would also contribute to Miri’s tourism economy by encouraging visitors to stay in local accommodation, dine at restaurants, use local transport and engage with local businesses.

“When visitors come to Miri for Borneo Jazz, the impact extends beyond the festival itself,” he said.

Tickets will go on sale at midnight on Oct 3.

Standard tickets are priced at RM150, while VIP tickets cost RM500. A 20 per cent bundle discount brings the prices down to RM120 and RM400 respectively.

Two-day passes are priced at RM240 for standard and RM800 for VIP, while student and young adult tickets are priced at RM75.

The main concert programme will run from 7pm to midnight. VIP ticket holders will also have access to a pre-show cocktail at Pullman’s lounge from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, as well as meet-and-greet opportunities with performers.

For tickets and the latest festival information, visit jazzborneo.com. — DayakDaily