KUCHING: Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stated that at the moment, he has not received any delegation or proposal from any of the event group attaining the Asean International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA).
The Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts said this when asked by reporters on whether AIFFA will be held this year.
“We will take it into consideration whether to organise it this year or next year once the proposal from any event management group has been submitted,” he said.
He also added that due to the pandemic, the number of films and documentaries that were produced might not have been many.
“Therefore, the number of nominees or participants submitted for the festival might not reach the supposed target,” he said.
He said this during a press conference after the officiating ceremony of RTM Appreciation Night at Waterfront Hotel in Kuching on Friday (February 24).
Abdul Karim then also stated that the submission for the film festival should be on a certain calibre, or standards.
“We cannot just nominate anybody, or else it would not be good for AIFFA, and we want to see AIFFA maintain their standards through and through,” he added.
He also hoped that with countries within the Asean region having opened up its border, more movies and documentaries will be produced so that more nominations would be submitted for AIFA.
“Not just in Sarawak, but also within the Asean region as well,” he added.
Started in 2013, AIFFA is a film festival recognising some of the most outstanding films within the Asean region, with Kuching becoming its host city four years in a row.
