Sarawak may scale down Rainforest World Music Festival amid global travel uncertainty

KUCHING (March 28): The scale of the upcoming Rainforest World Music Festival may be adjusted as the Sarawak government continues to monitor the impact of global travel uncertainties linked to ongoing conflicts around the world, said Datuk Snowdan Lawan.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts said preparations for the festival are ongoing, with contingency plans in place to address potential challenges.

“We will proceed with the preparations, but we have to see how the situation develops.

“We do not know how long the conflict will last, so we must have Plan B and Plan C,” he said when met by reporters at the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair Sarawak at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here on Saturday.

Snowdan acknowledged that the situation could affect participation from international performers and tourists, particularly from regions impacted by the conflict or flight disruptions.

“Some travellers may be hesitant to travel, and certain airlines are not operating as usual, so this could affect arrivals, especially from the Middle East and other regions,” he said.

“We will look at whether to maintain it at a large scale or downsize it slightly. For example, if we initially planned for 10 performing groups, we might reduce it to six or seven,” he explained.

Despite the uncertainties, Snowdan assured that the festival is still expected to take place, albeit with possible modifications.

When asked about a recent viral issue circulating online regarding the Borneo Land Music Festival, the deputy minister said the ministry has yet to receive a full report on the matter, which was reportedly postponed and has drawn complaints over delayed refunds.

“I have not yet received a report on this matter. There may be viral news circulating about refunds, but I have not obtained the full details,” he said.

Snowdan, however, stressed that event organisers must take responsibility if cancellations occur, adding that the ministry will look into the matter once complete information is obtained.

“If it is true, then they should issue refunds. If an event is cancelled, they should rightfully refund attendees. As responsible organisers, they should do so,” he added.